


Reminiscence

by Kathendale, Void_Kitsune, xyzhnielle



Series: Memories 'verse [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Newt, But Thomas has it worse, Gally is a motherfucking tree hugger, Gladers bond is better, Gladers heal slower than normal supernaturals because of WICKED experiments, M/M, Minho is a kitsune, Newt is a were-mountain lion, Newt's a protective boyfriend and he could tear u apart with his bare hands, Protective Minho, Protective Newt (Maze Runner), Protective Thomas, RIP, Stiles Stilinski is Thomas (Maze Runner), These boys have PTSD, Thomas has panic attacks, Were-fox Stiles, always relevant fITE ME, ao3 fucking sucks, but he doesn't want to get his clothes dirty - they're brand new after all, chapter 14 is taking us forever to write, goodbye poetic lines :'((, haha sucks to be them, kinda Derek bashing, lydia is a babe, normal packbonds which only let you feel what someone might be feeling for McCall pack, packbonds, scott just wants stiles back :(, telepathic packbonds for the Galders, we love torturing characters, were-fox Thomas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-05-18 23:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kathendale/pseuds/Kathendale, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Void_Kitsune/pseuds/Void_Kitsune, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xyzhnielle/pseuds/xyzhnielle
Summary: A mere two weeks after the Nogitsune, Stiles Stilinski vanished into thin air—leaving not even a scent trail for the McCall pack.Then almost a complete year later, Stiles is returned home, different, changed, traumatised. But most of all, he wasn’t Stiles anymore—no, he was Thomas, member of the Glader’s pack and resident were-fox.[Formerly named Memories]





	1. Where One Life Ends, Another Takes Its Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED

Thomas’s new life started by being surrounded by towering walls. He was only one of thirty-odd boys that already lived there.

But he was the only human—completely one hundred percent human. While the others were human, they weren’t completely so, they had supernatural blood running through their veins.

It made him disoriented, he wasn't like them—human and  _weak_ and _'too curious for his own good'._ And yet, at the same time, he  _was_  like them. They all couldn't remember anything about their real lives except their names.

And who's to say that their names were even actually theirs?

The leader, introducing himself as Alby, was the Alpha werewolf, and his second in command was Newt, a _were-cougar_.

He embarrassingly blurted out something, which he most certainly wants to forget because it was mortifying for him to remember. But either way, something in him wanted to squeal at the information, because  _wow, cougar_ and while he certainly didn’t have any memories (no matter how many times Gally tried to insist he was dangerous for being the only human ever sent up), he remembered most things; information and places but no faces or names or how he learned them. 

Newt had been the one to give him the Tour, as they dubbed it, which was great because Alby still kind of freaked him out. (When he'd been sent up the Box, the Alpha had flashed his red eyes and that prompted Thomas to run across the Glade. And then he tripped, and humiliation bloomed in his chest, but he managed to keep that emotion out of his face.) The blond cougar, on the other hand, made him feel like he could trust him—like Newt was a safe haven of his own. 

It was a weird thought for Thomas at the time—not understand what the emotion was.

Newt made sure to introduce him to as many Gladers as they could catch up to on that busy day: Minho, Keeper of the Runners was a Thunder Kitsune; Gally, Keeper of the Builders, a wolf; Winston, Keeper of the Slicers, was a raccoon (and Thomas had to fight an incredulous laugh down when Newt said that); Frypan, Keeper of the Cooks was a witch; Zart, Keeper of the Track-hoes was an Earth Kitsune; Clint was another witch that specialized (and well, specialized was a stretch Thomas would later find out) in healing magic; Sid, Keeper of the Sloppers, he was a were-tiger; Daymeon, Keeper of the Baggers was a Shifter with the ability to turn into a crow; and lastly, Johnathan, who was a werewolf and the Keeper of the Bricknicks.

All the others ranged from were creatures to a demon— _fucking—_ halfling, ironically named Damon.

His first week was a rush, he’d stupidly run into the maze to save Minho and Alby. Minho and he even managed to kill two Grievers.

As cool as that sounded, it was terrifying running in the maze with a creature that didn't seem to care that he  _was shucking new to all this._ He’d been bedridden for a time after that, the strain on his body to much and left him with a fever and aching muscles.

Teresa came up while he’d been out and was the first one to properly talk to her, calm her down.

Then Alby was given the serum to cure his sting, and once the Alpha had wakened, filled in by Newt, accepted Thomas into the pack. It has startled him so much—the sudden feeling of all the other members just _there_ was almost overwhelming.

Once he had been given the all clear by Clint, Alby made him an official Runner. He remembers Newt’s disdain at the idea—the cougar clearly worried about the toll it would take on Thomas’ body, they didn’t worry about the others because they were supernatural, but Thomas didn’t have a single drip of said supernatural in him.

But in the end, Newt was overruled. 

Nothing happened for nearly a month after that. It was just him and Teresa settling in, befriending the Gladers, running the maze and searching for a way out.

Then while out on a run, he and Minho encountered a Griever—he could only recall snippets of the entire day. But flashes that stuck out was Minho carrying him and the agony when he tried to breathe.

He woke up as a were; Alby had been forced to bite him to save his life, damage done had been too much for Clint to ever possible heal.

He learned he’d become a fox. A rare creature from what Thomas could remember, and he fit into the transition well. The others theorized it was because he inhabited fox-like qualities or perhaps it was something from his previous life that affected it.

Or… maybe it was because of something else entirely, but he liked to think it was the first one. It was more comforting to think he didn’t have to experience something (possibly terrifying) that might have caused the change of creature to occur during his transition. 

The heightened senses were strange for Thomas at first, but he quickly got a hang of it. He could note most by their scents after a month.

When developing his senses, Thomas noticed that Newt’s scent was a lot more appealing—the best, if he was being honest. He smelled of the earth and honey—smelled like home to Thomas. He didn’t understand.

By this time, he’d been in the Glade for just over two months.

Another one passed, and _finally_ , Thomas and Minho find a clue after killing another Griever. It was probably by pure luck that they’d managed to kill it and not the other way around—Newt had been _pissed_. It was terrifying to watch Newt shifted in front of them and growled and scolded them for being a  _"bloody reckless idiots—I should throw you both in the Slammer for a week—"_

Gally had laughed at their fearful expressions though.

(“Glad we could make at least one person laugh, huh, Minho?” Thomas snipped. Minho grinned, opening his mouth to add when Newt round on them again. “Don’t even bloody think about continuin’ that shuckin’ conversation, slintheads!” They didn’t, they feared Newt’s wrath too much.)

But by killing the Griever they discovered a cylinder that led the Runners to Section Seven. It was there where they discovered the exit. But there was a catch—

It was through the Grievers’ home.

It took them an entire day before they settle on trying to escape; they lose almost half of the boys, caught by Grievers as they try to escape, and it leaves them without a leader— _an Alpha_. That shakes them all, of course, but they lost more than just their Alpha. They lost their brothers, their lovers, their family. The pack was not, and could never be, the same again. 

Thomas clutched the carved wooden doll that Chuck had been carving days before they’d tried to escape. It was covered in the boy’s blood and Thomas couldn't stop blaming himself.

_His fault, it was all his fault. He was the reason they’d found the cylinder, if only he wasn’t so shucking hellbent on escaping-_

They're saved by a group of people claiming they're against WCKD, and for a while, they're happy and content enough, but it turns out, after some snooping around, that wasn’t the case—they were  _still_  with WICKED; still with the group who threw them into a world of confusion and pain.

The pack escaped from the compound and flee into the sandstorm together.

But later, after losing Clint to monsters -  _creatures_ that used to be human - there's unrest in the remaining Glader pack. They're torn between continuing their quest or just… just submitting to WCKD.

 _'At least we had actual food and enough water, and the Grievers stayed in the Maze,'_  Winston told Dan telepathically. He'd probably meant for it to be private but had forgotten to put barriers up, so the rest of the pack heard it.

Thomas didn't really care what Winston thought about WCKD, or what he thought about him, so he ignored it. Minho, Teresa and Newt were angry enough for him, anyway.

What hurt him though, what made him feel insecure and want to curl in on himself was Frypan saying "I can't believe I'd say this, but I miss the Glade" - because Frypan had been on his side when they planned the escape, and maybe he didn't mean it as a personal jab at Thomas, but it sure felt like that.

Newt talking to him that night lessened the feeling of uselessness inside him. Newt told him he shouldn't give up, made him feel like he wasn't alone, that he had someone at his back for as long as he lived. He was so, so thankful for his new Alpha, for _Newt_.

(He remembers this night the best out of every new memory, not because of the situation- no, it was because he came to the realisation that he’d fallen for the blond cougar.)

They trudged on under the hot sun, sand getting in their shoes and clothes, scratchy light grains irritating their skin.

Eventually, they meet Brenda and Jorge, who help them—who give them supplies and food without asking for anything in return.

Only for WICKED to find them again and kill the two humans that tried to help them. Thomas added their deaths to his ever-growing mental list of 'friends who died because of me'.

He vowed never to see Newt's or Minho's or Teresa's name in that list. Vowed to do anything and everything to keep them safe.

At least, they finally found out what WICKED was trying to do.

The organisation was trying to find a cure, of sorts - for supernatural creatures. They wanted to ‘purify’ the world of all ‘monsters’ and somehow Thomas was the key to it all.

He'd been cut off from the others and used the chance to cause a distraction while the others fled. But he was cornered, shot with a bullet coated in Wolf Lichen by Ratman. He remembers puking—coming in and out of consciousness, feeling a lack of pack bonds and panicking until Newt’s connection burst to life and smothered him in waves of calmness and reassurance.

They’d used him as bait to catch the others. He wanted to beat himself up for being used against his friends but knows it wouldn’t solve anything.

He remembers WICKED purposely injecting someone (someone Thomas didn’t know but felt guilty for anyway) with a liquid and making him watch what it did to them. It turned them into the creatures they’d encountered in the Scorch.

They put the Gladers (all the ones that were what they dubbed ‘Immune’) through horrifying torture, Ratman had made him personally watch as Minho was tied down and put through a simulation that made him see his worst nightmares.

(WCKD had somehow managed to manipulate the bond to block the  _test subject_  from everyone.)

They used an enzyme that was generated from the brain during these simulations to try and find a cure.

However, despite their best efforts (in torturing shuckin' children), WICKED just kept hitting dead end after dead end until Thomas himself was put through the simulations.

It was Thomas' worst fear in its truest, most horrible form. 

He'd been forced to watch as those he cared the most about (Teresa, Minho,  _Newt_ )were all infected and began to succumb to it. He remembers, the images forever burned into his psyche, as black dyed Newt’s veins and his warm brown eyes lost that light and was replaced by vicious and murderous intent of the virus that flooded his veins. He remembers heartbreak and pain everywhere and he remembers losing Newt and not being able to breathe. 

Because Newt wasn’t what WICKED had dubbed as Immune.

And Ratman threatened to purposely infect Newt if he didn’t do as he was told.

He couldn’t lose his Alpha, lose  _Newt_.

So he stopped, too tired to truly fight anymore after being put through the simulation for hours on end before being dumped back with his pack. It had worried Newt—he remembers just curling up between Newt and Minho because he couldn’t sleep anymore. Remembers just basking in their scents and their emotions and telling himself  _this_  is real, they're safe, and as long as he's doing what Ratman wants, they'll be safe. 

He refused to sleep—the nightmares were always like the simulations and he didn't want to see Newt and Minho and Teresa die over and over  _and over and over again_  - until WICKED was forced to separate him from them and keep him sedated enough that he slept when he wasn’t in the simulation.

It was Newt who formulated the escape plan and it was Newt who carried Thomas without hesitance when he found he couldn’t even keep his eyes open, let alone run.

They ran for several days, having to sometimes travel at night because the heat got too much.

It’s there, when they come across the first populated town, that they learn that WICKED had lied about something happening to the world.

It shouldn't really have been a surprise. WICKED wasn't good, no matter how much they claimed to be. 

The townspeople were a mixture of human and supernatural. They were kind enough to help them, a few spoke English and called the appropriate authorities who could give them proper aid. Police come and took them to a city called Tamanrassest.

Apparently, they were in a country called Algeria and the townspeople said they’d come from the east, it was likely they’d been kept somewhere in Libya—a very unpopulated and large county.

Their government is notified, and the pack is taken to a hospital to be examined.

The doctors tried to split them all up, putting them all into separate rooms but the boys and girl all kicked up a fuss, eventually agreeing to two or three in a room together. Newt and Thomas snatch a room, and most nights, they sleep in the same bed, taking comfort in their shared body heat and being Anchors to each other when they have nightmares.

Thomas can only sleep with Newt curled up around him; feeling Newt there soothed that horrible, paralyzingly fear that WCKD would suddenly burst in through the door and steal them away again.

Newt doesn’t hesitate to curl up around his Tommy when he feels his panic over the bond. Newt could feel his distress, and while he too was feeling so many emotions, Thomas was more vulnerable. It was something that Thomas tried to hide behind the scent block and poker face he had long ago (annoyingly) mastered even before he’d been sent up to the Glade—but Newt could see through the tough act he put on.

Whatever Thomas had been forced to endure during the simulation had left him in pieces that Newt intended to put back together.

Thomas was much like how Newt remembers himself to be like during his dark period in the maze.

But like Newt, Thomas would heal. Even if that was weeks from now or even years, Newt was going to stay by his side and never leave. 

He hopes Thomas— _all of them_ —could get the chance to finally start their healing process.

The Algerian government tried to get information from them, but they honestly didn’t know much—only that WICKED was trying to find some sort of cure. The Gladers agree with Newt when he tells them to not tell anyone about the supernatural world.

The hospital removed the devices in the back of their necks. They don’t know much about it—not without further study—but they believe it had something to do with their memories being suppressed.

They theorize that now that it had been removed, their memories might return to them with time.

They weren't wrong.

It was only days later that Thomas felt something poking at the back of his mind, something he believed was his memories, wanting to come forward.

But he was scared. Scared of who he used to be because he knows he can’t be that boy again.

WICKED had made sure of that.

His real name was Mieczyslaw Stilinski, but apparently, he liked being called Stiles because his name was unpronounceable by 99% of the population. It was apparent when most of the guys had a laugh trying to say it.

Newt’s name was Samuel Wilcox.

Learning their old names didn't really matter.

Thomas preferred Newt, much liked Newt preferred Tommy.

Some of his memories come back in small painful flashes: he had a father who works as a Sheriff in a town called Beacon Hills, in a state in America called California. His mum had been dead for several years before he’d been taken.

Newt didn’t have anyone, he was an orphan. His parents had died two years ago in a car accident. His sister is still legally missing and had disappeared a year before Newt himself had been taken. He had no other relatives listed. 

Because of this, the doctors decided they’d send him back over to England and to an orphanage, seeing as he was still technically underage. 

“No fucking way.” Thomas replied immediately, nearly baring his teeth at the doctors, but he managed to stop himself. Newt tugged him back and wrapped his arms around the fox's waist to calm him, sending him calming reassurance over their bond.

They inform him that his father was travelling to Algeria to take his son home.

Thomas had blatantly stated he wasn’t going with the man unless Newt was coming along. Even the notion of being separated from Newt set his nerves on edge.

He wouldn’t leave Newt. The idea that he’d be forced to leave them all, leave Newt—the one he needed the most—sent him spiralling into a panic attack which convinced the doctors to speak to his father about it.

Finally, he meets the man that was his father. Thomas feels uncomfortable as the man cried but he tried to hide it. He doesn't want to be rude and make the man decide not to take Newt with him. 

He’s not too sure about contact these days if it’s not by someone he knew, but Thomas doesn’t pull back because the man had just learned his son was still alive, he’d be the same way in his position.

So he returned the hug and it felt  _right_. Right to hug the man, it made him feel safe and secure. That had to be good, right?

Noah, his  _dad’s_ name, (Thomas can hardly believe it) agrees to take Newt under their roof. 

Maybe it's out of pity, or because he knows that Thomas needs Newt to breathe. Because he knows that Thomas needs Newt to not shut down and draw in on himself like he’d started doing within the WICKED facility.

It turns out Minho’s parents resided in Beacon Hills too, but he’d been taken long before his family (mother, father and year younger sister) had moved to Beacon Hills, so he hadn’t known him before his memory wipe.

Apparently, though, Thomas had known his younger sister. The name Kira did send a flash of familiarity through him.

Either way, both Newt and he are relieved that their Kitsune friend wasn’t going far.

Minho’s parents even greet Thomas when Minho introduces him and Newt to them.

They said they were glad he was safe.

They flew out and arrived in America after having been given passports and files filled out that needed filling out. Noah (it didn't feel right to call him dad yet) filled the boys in about Beacon Hills. That he was going to try and keep his old friends away for the time being to give them (“for mostly Stiles—sorry— _Thomas_ ”) a chance to settle in.

Thomas said the slip up by his father was alright and that if he felt more comfortable calling him Stiles, then he could.

Along the way, they stopped to get Thomas and Newt more clothes to wear and neither of them knows what to think about the experience. There were so many different types of clothes and people, and—Thomas panics.

It was too much, too many people that brushed up against him and—he couldn’t breathe.

But Newt is there. His kind, ever-understanding Alpha.

Newt wraps him up in his arms, burying his Tommy’s face into his neck and lowly purring to calm him, something the blond would often do when Thomas was hit with a panic attack.

They return to the road and that night, while staying in a motel, Thomas has a nightmare again. He woke up screaming into Newt’s chest as the blond cradled him.

He sobs, and his body’s shaking and he can’t stop crying because he can’t close his eyes without seeing Chuck’s dead body as he was shot, can’t stop seeing images that had long ago been burnt into his mind. He rewatches as the boy had shoved himself in front of Thomas at the last moment. Chuck  _(small Jackal Chuck)_ had bled out and died in his arms.

When they arrive in Beacon Hills, they immediately find Stiles’ bed (it didn’t feel right to call it his bed yet - nothing felt right to Thomas except Teresa, Minho and Newt and Newt-).

He’s awoken by voices downstairs, he doesn’t even need his enhanced hearing to listen to them.

A boy that sounds to be about his age is arguing with Noah about wanting to see him. Thomas listens as Noah tells the boy (Scott, he quickly learned) that Thomas doesn’t remember him and to give him space to settle in. The fox can smell the sadness and grief roll off from the boy. He can’t help but feel guilty. 

Newt’s arms tighten their grip on him in his sleep as if reading his thoughts. 

Noah managed to keep the kids (Thomas doesn’t think he could call them adults when comparing them to what he and the Gladers had been through) away for another three days before they come by again and the Sheriff can’t stop them from entering quick enough.

It annoys Thomas at the rudeness they’d just shown the man.

Of course, when they’d come into the room, he hadn’t been paying attention and had been looking out the kitchen window into the back garden. They’d startled him so badly that he’d grabbed the closest thing he could use as a weapon, which was thankfully a knife and pointed it at them. It had long since been wired in to him to react as if every sudden thing is a possible threat.

He knows they aren’t human. Several werewolves, a Banshee, a Kitsune (Kira - his mind supplies, seeing the resemblance to Minho), and a coyote. Minho was with them as well, lingering behind them, next to Kira.

It took him a moment to realize he was still pointing a knife at them and returned it to the side clumsily. It missed and slipped from the counter but with his quick fox-like reflexes he grabbed it again, successfully placing it on the side this time.

Minho coughed to cover a snicker. “Nice going green-bean.”

Thomas glared at Minho but there was no heat behind it.

He returns to the familiar-unfamiliar group of teens.

“Stiles.” The Alpha werewolf, Scott (he recognized the voice from the other day), greets, looking relieved—and Thomas has to grit his teeth to stop himself from snapping at the boy and correcting him on his name.

“Who are you all?” He questioned instead.

Scott’s face falls, looking close to tears. Which he had no right to look like that, especially since Noah had already told Scott that he didn’t have any memories.

The Banshee, introducing herself as Lydia, speaks to him and explains things, since Scott was too  _heartbroken_ to do it himself ( _what an Alpha he was_ , he thought drily- but maybe he was being a little harsh). All the while, he doesn’t let his expression shift, in fact—he didn’t really care all that much about how he had magically vanished from right under the noses of a bunch of supernatural creatures, and they hadn’t noticed for almost two days.

He’d known how to conceal his emotions with a poker face and scent block since he’d come up in the Box and he’d wondered how long he’d known how to do that before his memory-wipe and what caused his former self to create such a thing. If he’d been running with this pack (that to Thomas, looked like they just attracted trouble) then he thinks he finally understands why.

Only Newt had really seen past the mask from almost the get-go, Thomas doesn’t know how the cougar does it but part of him is thankful. It took Minho, Teresa and the others a bit longer to understand how Thomas worked when it came to hiding his emotions.

The broody-looking werewolf finally speaks up after a while. “You just vanished. Like you’d never even been here in the first place.”

Looking at the broody wolf, there’s something in his expression that sends alarm bells ringing in Thomas’ brain, because he’s looking at him like one would a lover and it makes him uncomfortable. He shifts his weight between his feet at the thought.

Thomas prays to all the gods he doesn’t believe in (how could he after what he, Newt, Minho, Teresa and the rest of the Gladers went through?) that he didn’t have something going on with this guy.

Thomas shrugs at the broody wolf’s words. “It’s not like I can answer that. All I remember is waking up in a box before meeting my pack.”

He doesn’t bother censoring the supernatural terms. Most flinch and broody looks angry but Scott is the first to speak.

“What?” His voice cracks and Thomas blinks.

“My pack? I thought you would have noticed I’m not exactly human, considering three-fourths of you all have heightened senses for that very reason.”

At the doorway, where his father is standing (it took Thomas a moment to realize he’d called Noah his father), Thomas notices that he looked sad but not disappointed. He’d ask about it later.

Looking back at Scott, he couldn't help but scoff inwardly.  _Honestly, what a bunch of imbeciles—_ was he the only smart one from his old pack? He knew he was formerly part of their pack because their reaction to him speaking of his new one.

“Where’s Newt?” Minho finally cuts through the uncomfortable silence, walking past them all and coming to settle next to Thomas. 

Thomas tilts his head towards the doorway to his left

And Newt, who had been silently listening from behind said doorway, was next to Thomas and Minho in an instant.

His brown orbs eyed the McCall pack warily before landing on Scott. Newt flashed his red eyes and Scott returned it. 

There’s no outright hostility but Newt is tense, and Scott’s expression had become firm.

“Okay.” Minho interjects after an awkward silence. “We don’t exactly know if there’s some sort of proper greeting between Alpha’s of packs, so."

Thomas snorts because this was Thomas and he knew most things.  “Of course there is, Min’.”

So the next ten minutes is used to briefly,  _very_ briefly, explain the Gladers pack and what it consisted of, how it was formed and how Thomas had become a were-fox. 

Nothing more. The trio didn’t want to relive it and this pack had no right to know.

Newt won't submit to Scott and blatantly stated that to the other Alpha and he certainly wouldn’t let them steal his ('his' was silent for Newt) Tommy from them. Newt didn’t have any plans to harm anyone, so it was accepted they’d stay because Thomas had said that if Newt couldn’t stay, then neither was he. 

So his former pack didn’t have a choice but to agree if they wanted Stiles— _Thomas_ (he wanted to throttle them for using his old name) to stay around long enough for him to have any chance of remembering.

Minho agreed, too. They didn't remember their families, so honestly? They wouldn’t miss them that much if they left.

Broody wolf doesn’t seem to like that, biting—

_ ‘Haha'. _

_ ‘Hush, Tommy,' _

Minho snickers at them over their pack bond.

 _—_ out a remark about Newt. About how he wasn’t even a werewolf, so he shouldn’t and wasn’t worthy of being an Alpha.

Thomas snarled at him for insulting his Alpha. He flashed his golden-orange fox eyes, ready to make him regret his words—but Newt gripped his arm, grounding him enough to not attack the wolf.

It’s Minho that speaks up, glaring at Derek (they  _finally_  learned his name). “Look, dude, whatever your problem is, lose it. None of us are gonna take your klunk, so fix your attitude.”

Thomas sends his obvious amusement (the first true type of amusement in a long while) over their pack bond and he gets it in return when Derek’s face contorts as if he’d bitten into a lemon. There’s also an underlying proud feeling from them both, which Thomas can only guess is because he’s started to come out from the shell he’d build up during the Scorch Period again.

He can’t stop the actual snicker that escapes his lips. Newt smiled widely, his fangs poking through his slightly parted lips.

Derek growls (If it's because of Minho's words, or because of Newt's and Thomas's amusement, the were-fox doesn't know, and he doesn't care), flashing blue eyes at them and Thomas knows what that means.

This wolf had taken an innocent life.

He doesn’t judge him—three wolves in the Glade had blue eyes—but Thomas hates how Derek keeps glaring at Newt and the fact that he  _thinks he had the right to threaten his Alpha, Thomas is going to go over there and beat his fuckin-_

'Thomas.’Newt warns with a firm tone but sends over reassurance about the fact the wolf’s words don’t mean anything to him. Newt had always been his Anchor, his grounding to reality—his glue. (He nearly snickers again at the thought because the word had long since become a running joke between the Gladers and the words tattoos on the blond’s shoulder blade.)

Newt jabs him over the bond with curiosity and a  _‘ Focus please.’_ 

Thomas sobers up.

“If all you’re going to do is insult Newt, then leave.” Thomas finally adds. “Whether you’re a wolf or not doesn’t determine your ability to be an Alpha and Newt has been a hell of a good one.”

Thomas wasn’t lying—Newt had stepped into the role of Alpha instinctively once he realised that Alby’s spark had transferred to him (it had baffled them, considering they didn’t know if Newt could even take on the spark because he wasn’t, well, a naturally made supernatural). Even if it hadn't, Thomas knew Newt was just the sort of person to keep them all grounded and stop them from doing rash things -  _even_  if he still did them most of the time and it made Newt nearly start pulling out his hair at one point.

Whoops.

Derek continued to look like he'd bitten into a lemon at Thomas' words, and Thomas can’t help but wonder if he’d made a similar comment for him before.

Everything about Derek screamed 'former Alpha'—which meant he was incompetent at being one and couldn’t judge anyone else.

“I agree.” Minho added quietly aloud.

Thomas did a double take. "What?”

Minho smirked as Newt chuckled. He tried not to blush when Newt patted his cheek affectionately (because he was Thomas and he didn’t blush at random affectionate gestures), frowning instead as the blond brushed a strand away from his face. “You’re broadcasting down the bond, Tommy.”

 


	2. Opinions on Worthiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "—He said you aren't worthy!"  
> "Well, he isn't."  
> "I will tear you apart—"
> 
>  
> 
> -
> 
> Uhm basically more Derek bashing  
> Tommy losing control  
> Noot the Leader activated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm Cy, and I'll be taking over this story for the amazing writer Void Kitsune! I hope you enjoy my variation and continuation of the story. I know that she probably meant that Thomas became a Kitsune, but I decided to make it just a werefox, like a subspecies of the Kitsune of something. Please don't hate me.
> 
> ~ Hello, I'm Dani! and I'm like the helper? I don't think I work well on my own haha! Anyway, I'm pretty sure Void meant for the pack bond to let them be able to feel what each other's feeling or something, but I tried to exercise my vv bad imagination and made it like what Teresa, Aris, and Thomas had in the books? They can't actually read minds but they can 'send' thoughts to each other. Let's pretend it's also because of WCKD's experiment! cx
> 
> (28/6/18) - Heyo, Void here. This chapter has been UPDATED as of this date.

Thomas simply stared at Newt's smirking face, unsure whether he should feel embarrassed for making his thoughts heard to his friends (and the fact he _still_ can’t seem to keep up a mental block at the best of times), or feel annoyed because this was so not the time to be feeling amused when this broody ex-Alpha wolf was so hostile to his— _their_ Alpha.

"Okay...? That's weird." Lydia said— _slowly,_ as if she was worried Thomas would get riled up again and try to lunge at her this time. "Pack members can't talk telepathically—I mean, I haven't heard of an instance. We're attuned to each other's feelings and can almost guess what they're thinking through those clues... but mental conversations with each other?" She shook her head, face troubled.

In another situation, Thomas probably would've felt a bit more empathetic, but his patience was frayed, and his nerves were on end, especially since he still felt Derek's intense glare burning holes into them. Not to mention the other Alpha - Scott - was looking at him with this kicked puppy expression, and they smelled so... so shucking sad. _It was frustrating_.

Why couldn't they all just leave him fucking alone where he and his pack could finally get shuckin’ peace and quiet, and be able to take things at his own pace with the people he cared most about?

"Yeah, well, I doubt your pack was kidnapped by a bunch of scientists and put through hell. I doubt you were subjected to nightmarish situations where you thought it was all real—simulations where you're forced to experience losing even more of your pack over and over again, and that's not even half of it. So, _no_ , it's not weird for us." Thomas responded blankly, face and voice void of any emotion.

(Thomas doesn’t even care that he’d revealed more about their situation than they’d planned to. Let them know what the Gladers—what _he'd_ been through. Maybe they'd cut him some shucking slack and leave. _Finally_.)

Minho’s breath hitched, and Newt clutched the countertop behind him so tightly, his knuckles turned white while he bit his other. This was Thomas— _their Thomas_. As their leader (despite how much he denied it because Newt was Alpha; but being Alpha and Leader were two different things—Newt: he knew how to calm people, reassure them, but lead them? All of them? He couldn’t do that alone), he’d taken so much burden on his shoulders. Too much, and that had left him—in the simplest of words: broken and scarred.

Thomas exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, drawing on the calm vibes Newt and Minho were sending down their connections; because if he didn't, Thomas knew that Newt or Minho were going to have to hold him back from doing something reckless. He'd been doing great, no longer feeling like an elastic that's stretched too tight, like a time bomb waiting to go off _until_ _he heard a snort_.

"What is your problem?" He hissed, his eyes flashing a brilliant but piercing golden orange as he glared at Derek. "No, wait, actually you know what? I don't care, just _slim it_."

Scott placed his arm in front of Derek, shooting the other wolf a dark glance. In the back of Thomas' mind, in the place where he put Stiles' few fuzzy and distorted recovered memories, he thinks he's never seen that kind of look on Scott before. "Derek. Stop."

"No." Derek flashes them a grin, humourless and bordering on feral. "It’s just—you think you're the only one who’s had it bad? You think your pack’s the only one who's suffered? Well, guess what, princess—suffering doesn't make you special. There are other people out there that have been through worse things."

"Derek, wait. Please don’t do this." Lydia says, trying to calm the rising tension in the room.

It doesn't work, and Derek keeps talking, mouth curling into a sneer. "And you think your Alpha—" he says the word with so much contempt, it's not hard to know what he's thinking about Newt. "—Is special? Why? Just 'cause he's a fucking cougar?" He laughs, shrugging when he says the next thing. "I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You've always been a try hard, _Stiles_ , but this reaches a whole, new level.”

A low growl rumbles from Minho’s throat as he takes a slow but deadly step forward—his glowing amber-orange eyes portraying the storm of emotions whirling inside him—and he’s staring at Derek as if he’s his next prey. Because he’d insulted not only Newt; which Newt didn’t care about, the trio all knew that, but Thomas, too. Insulting their Thomas was a no-go, _for anyone_.

It makes the room suddenly feel a whole lot heavier, but Derek doesn't even flinch.

The people in the McCall pack, frozen to their spots, look to Thomas. Thomas, with his eyes still glowing, and his fringe hanging over his forehead, looking almost scary—haunting. Thomas, who doesn’t do anything. He just clenched his jaw as he resisted the urge to release his own growl.

Neither Thomas or Newt miss the angry remark from Minho’s mind that the rest of the McCall pack were _‘Useless morons’_.

“Minho.” Newt’s voice was sharp but calm as he gently reached forwards and wrapped an arm around Thomas’ hips, tugging him back. “Stop. Play nicely." His eyes had lost the warmth they usually held when he was in the same room as Thomas—the only indication to Minho that he was angry at what Derek has said.

Minho looked reluctant, his face sour as he opened his mouth, ready to argue with Newt (because this pompous ass thinks he can say something like this to their Tom-boy?), but he huffs instead, stepping back to lean on the counter.

Thomas, much like Newt, didn't care about being insulted himself. But he was having none of Derek's digs at his Alpha.

He whirled around to face Newt, eyes still a smouldering golden-orange as he hissed: "He insulted you. He said you aren't worthy!”

"Well, he isn't." Derek mumbled, tone smug.

Thomas turned so fast that the witnesses could almost feel phantom pains of whiplash, part of his skin already tinting orange and white, his ears elongating with black fur sprouting at the tips as all four canines began to extend.

"I will tear you apart—"

"Oh-kay, that's our signal to leave. Goodbye." Newt said, and—with superhuman strength—lifted the shorter boy off the floor. Thomas struggled angrily, hissing at Newt to put him down and describing in a very detailed manner how he'd like to pull Derek's limbs from his body.

Newt ignored all this, turning to the wolf in question, whose blue eyes were still glaring at him"Never ‘nsult Thomas in front of me ah’gain,"  he said, and though his voice was low, the others could hear it—hear the barely concealed rage over Thomas' protests. "’Cause I'll show you just  _what_  kinda of Alpha I am."

And with that, he took Thomas out of the room in a timely manner, who was all the while fighting against him, snarling.

**o-o-o-o-o**

Newt kicked Stiles’ door shut (load of help that would do, the others downstairs had enhanced hearing and could listen in) before setting Thomas’ feet on the ground. “Tommy, what the shuck was that?”

Thomas paced back and forth several times, his body tense with the need to defend Newt. His hands shook, and the room felt a little bit too small but if Newt weren’t here, he would find it a hell of a lot more claustrophobic.

Newt moved forward, grabbing Thomas’ biceps to stop him.

"I know you worry about all of us, but don't you think that was a lil’ over the top?" He murmured, sweeping his fingers through Thomas’ fringe, brushing it from his eyes to better meet the still golden orbs.

They flicker back to that familiar bambi brown as he seemed to shrink in on himself. "I—I'm sorry, Newt—for losing control.” he murmured, his body quivering against his will as nuzzled his face into Newt’s neck, inhaling his honey and earth scent to calm himself. "But I'm not sorry for wanting to defend you. I just hate seeing you being put down by others.”

"I know. It's okay, Tommy, we're fine." He wrapped his arms round the brunet’s waist and squeezed him closer. "Let’s try and take a nap, yeah? See if we can sleep?"

Newt pulled away, but his hands slide along the fabric that wrapped around Thomas’s torso before briefly parting contact to take hold of Thomas’ wrists. "Just relax and breathe, and then we'll talk and figure out what to do later."

Thomas smiled, feeling glad and extremely lucky to have someone who knew how to hold him back and make him listen. Someone who listened to him as well, and always stood by him.

"Yeah." He whispered, climbing into bed and waiting for the other to get in after him, before cuddling into Newt.

Maybe he still wasn't totally okay, totally calm. But he was getting there. He'll get there.

And Newt will be with him every step of the way.

"Thanks, Newt."

**o-o-o-o-o**

And Thomas wasn't wrong. Someone had been listening in.

Derek narrowed his eyes. "Stiles belongs to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I'm not too bad, and hopefully not ruining this story for y'all ~ Cy
> 
> ^ also, ily Void, thanks for letting me do this. if you guys have any feedback, that would be awesome! even if it's just to say that i don't know what the fuck i'm doing hahaha, it'd be very much appreciated. <3 ~ Dani


	3. Another Point of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Xyz and Spirit did an amazing job, I thought I'd add a little something from Scott's POV ;)
> 
> A basic overview of what's happened to far from Scott.
> 
> UPDATED (29/6/18)

Scott only had the briefest idea of what to expect. The sheriff hadn't told him much, except that Stiles had been subjected to an illegal experiment and that his memories had been forcibly removed. He mentioned something about what the doctors had theorized—that the possibility of facing something familiar might help restore pieces of lost memory, once they’d removed what had caused the memory loss.

So, upon finding out that Noah had returned, he’d gone straight to the Stilinski household the next morning, eager to see Stiles and start working on his memories.

He'd had high hopes (maybe  _stupid_  hopes) that Stiles would see him, and they'd connect and be friends again—he missed his best friend, missed his partner in crime, his brother, the brain to his brawn. He'd thought that, of all people, Noah would understand how badly he needed to talk to Stiles and catch up and make sure he's okay. 

But he couldn't believe it when Noah denied him access to the house. 

Scott had huffed as they argued back and forth, and because of this, he'd failed to notice the other person - the other supernatural - or the change in Stiles' scent, until the next time he comes back with his pack in tow.

(Scott wants to blame it on the fact that he was arguing with Noah and that was why he missed the other person’s scent but truthfully, he hadn’t been paying much attention to anything with his enhanced senses— too anxious to see Stiles again.) 

**o-o-o-o-o**

As we’d stopped to pick Kira up, we met her brother Minho. She’d told us, hours before Noah had phoned to tell us that they’d found Stiles, that she’d had a brother who’d been kidnapped four years ago, and he’d been found.

He’d been put through the same experiment as Stiles had.

At our first glance at Minho, we could all tell Kira and he were related. They shared similar facial features like their nose and eyes, both had plumper lips—and, of course, their hair colour.

Minho, much like Kira, was a Thunder Kitsune. But right off the bat we could tell that Minho was vastly different from his sister: while Kira was quite a quiet person, Minho didn’t have a problem voicing his opinions—his sarcasm reminding me of Stiles. It made my chest clench at the thought, and made me want to see Stiles even more.

He mentions the name Thomas and none of us know who he’s talking about until Kira tells us that Thomas was Stiles.

So Stiles went by the name  _Thomas_  now? Why the hell was he going by a different name?

Lydia was quick to question Minho about the names because she was more than likely the only one smart enough to ask it (and because she seemed truly interested—I didn’t understand why, it didn’t matter because Stiles was going back to Stiles now anyway… right?).

Minho answered with: “Some of us had been given different names after our memory wipe, no idea how they managed to get them to remember some random name they chose instead of their real names but who knows.”

Minho was one of the lucky teens who got to keep their birth name.

Minho also mentioned a boy called Newt, who was apparently staying in the Stilinski house as well. I was questioned about my inability to sense him. I just answered that I’d been too busy talking (read: arguing, but they don’t know that) with Noah to use my senses.

Lydia asked what Newt was. 

Minho answered that Newt was a  _cougar_. Like what the hell? It didn’t just baffle me.

But I was briefly reminded of Kate.

Arriving at the Stilinski’s, Derek managed to get into the house before Noah could stop him, so we followed after he gave a sigh of agitation. It was rude, but we  _had_  to see Stiles. I don’t think Noah understood that we had to see him and start working with him to get his memories back if we were to get _OUR_ Stiles back.

We found him looking out the kitchen window into the garden, oblivious to us. When he does notice us, he displaces reflexes that  _Stiles_  certainly didn’t have.

Minho greets Thomas like an old friend and it sends unwanted jealously coursing through my veins.

But his first words to us felt like the knife he’d been holding had been stabbed into my heart and twisted. 

“Who are you all?” 

It only went downhill from there.

Stiles was openly reluctant to even speak to us (even looking annoyed for the briefest second) but neutralized his expression as Lydia starts to explain the events leading up to his disappearance.

“You just vanished. Like you’d never even been here in the first place.” Derek finished.

Stiles eyes Derek with an emotion that I couldn’t determine, but it was an odd one; to see Stiles look at Derek with such an expression...

They’d come a long way with their friendship and I was sure I’d smelled other emotions from both but now Stiles’s was oddly… _silent_. It was the best word I could think of. I couldn’t tell what he was feeling  _at all_ , so I literally  _couldn’t_ put a name to the expression on his face. It was admittedly a bit scary, that as a werewolf with heightened senses, I  _couldn’t_ get a reading on someone.

“It’s not like I can answer that. All I remember is waking up in a box before meeting my pack.”

“What?” I spoke it, voice cracking.

“My pack? I thought you would have noticed I’m not exactly human, considering three-fourths of you all have heightened senses for that very reason.” He responded in the familiar Stiles dry tone. I flinch.

Again what?

How had I not… I took the chance to inhale his scent.

He smelt like… fox? But not the type of fox like Kira—a different kind.

I watched as a deadpan look formed on Stiles’ face at our obviousness and I flinch again.

Minho speaks, asking where the other boy was and then the boy, Newt, appears and I immediately knew the tall male was a feline-creature. His eyes watched us all warily (it was ironic since cats and dogs normally dislike each other) before landing on me and—

He was an Alpha.

It was honestly amazing, because I’d never met another were-creature type that was an Alpha but admittedly I’d not met that many of types before.

They agree to briefly explain what happened to them. Stiles looked reluctant  _again_  (which was a little frustrating, because we wanted to help with his memories and it looks like he doesn’t even care a bit) and almost bored as he occasionally added his own input. 

They explained how Stiles had become a  _were-fox_.

Not only were there were-cats but were-foxes too? How had I not heard of this before?

It feels like they missed a large chunk—the time they spent in this ‘maze’ didn’t really add up but maybe they were just leaving unimportant pieces out?

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

It's agreed that Newt, as an Alpha, could stay, and while we (my pack and I) were  _not_  keen on the idea, Stiles threatened to leave so we didn’t have much of a choice.

It was going a hundred percent completely, absolutely, terrifically fine  _until_ Derek had to comment about Newt and his ability to be an Alpha which worsened the situation, but it reveals to us what kind of bond the three had formed.

“Look, dude, whatever your problem is, lose it. None of us are gonna take your klunk, so fix your attitude." Minho certainly wasn’t having any attitude from the born-wolf.

What the hell did ‘klunk’ mean?

“If all you’re going to do is insult Newt, then leave.” Stiles adds, a glare settling onto his face. His eyes flickered with golden flecks. “Whether you’re a wolf or not doesn’t determine your ability to be an Alpha and Newt has been a hell of a good one.”

Derek didn’t like that.

“I agree.” Minho added, quietly. _What?_

Thomas did a double take, frowning at Minho in confusion. "What?”

He certainly wasn’t the only confused one.

Minho smirked as Newt chuckled. He placed a hand on Stiles' cheek, and I didn't have to be a genius to see how affectionate and fond the gesture was. “You’re broadcasting down the bond, Tommy.”

_Broadcasting down the bond?_

Lydia voices our confusion.

"Okay...? That's weird." Lydia spoke slowly, as if worried about turning Stiles’ piercing golden orange eyes and agitated expression onto her. "Pack members can't talk telepathically—I mean, I haven't heard of an instance. We're attuned to each other's feelings and can almost guess what they're thinking through those clues... but mental conversations with each other?" She shook her head, frowning.

It was true, pack bonds just  _didn’t_  work like that. So they had to be pulling our legs, maybe they were just so in tune with their connections that they cold guess thoughts but actual communications? Not possible.

“Yeah, well, I doubt your pack was kidnapped by a bunch of scientists and put through hell. I doubt you were subjected to nightmarish situations where you thought it was all  _real_  — simulations where you're forced to experience losing even more of your pack over and over again, and that's not even  _half_ of it. So,  _no_ , it's not weird for us." Thomas responded blankly, eyes half lidded.

My heart felt like someone had reached in and squeezed it.

They hadn’t mentioned this before.

Minho’s breathing hitched as he squeezed his eyes closed and Newt, covered his mouth with one hand, biting it as he grabbed the countertop with the other.

Their scents give off real emotions—emotions that couldn’t be faked.

Oh my God.

Did they also not know? 

Thomas closed his eyes, jaw clenched as he tried to calm himself which he was doing great at but Derek—

He snorts mockingly and just like that, Stiles’s— _Thomas's_ (because Stiles had never been this angry before, no way was this OUR packmate—I didn’t care what those two said, Stiles was ours first and he still was, and only _we_ have the right to help him return to Stiles) anger returned full force and I could smell it in his scent now. 

And it scared me. This wasn’t our Stiles.

" _What_  is your problem?" He hissed, his eyes flashing a stunning but scary golden orange as he glared at Derek. "No, wait, actually you know what? I don't care, just  _slim it_."

Stiles was protective, he always had been behind that goofy front, and I knew he would do anything to make sure no wrong came to his friends. But I’ve never smelt such anger from him before and—

An image of Void flashes to mind and there's a lump in my throat, like an apple lodged—a forbidden, poisonous secret. 

I wanted that expression  _gone_  from Stiles’ face, I hold out an arm at Derek.

“Derek. Stop.”

He does the worst thing,  _he continues_.

"No." Derek flashes a grin, humourless and bordering on feral. " It’s just—you think you're the only one who's had it bad? You think  _your pack’s_  the only one who's suffered? Well, guess what, princess- suffering doesn't make you special. There are other people out there that have been through worse things." 

_Fuck Derek._

"Derek, wait. Please don’t do this." Lydia said, trying to stop Derek from being an utter moron and doing something he’d regret later.

It doesn't work, and Derek keeps talking, mouth curling into a sneer. "And you think your  _Alpha_ —" he says the word with so much contempt, that even an idiot could see he loathed Newt. "—is  _special_? Why? Just 'cause he's a fucking cougar?" He laughs, shrugging as he continued. "I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You've always been a try hard,  _Stiles_ , but this reaches a whole, new level.”

The air in the room got a thousand times heavy as Minho steps forwards with a low thundering growl as he stares with a storm of emotions in his amber-orange eyes but a scarily calm and filtered expression.

Minho-

I glance to Thomas to see if he’d stop the male Kitsune—but he’s staring at Derek from under his fringe, eyes still glowing and— _again,_ I’m reminded of Void. The same cold, apathetic gaze. Uncaring of who died and who burned, as long as he got something from it.

Expect maybe this was a little different. Because Void gained amusement and strength from causing pain and chaos and strife.

Thomas seemed like he just wanted to see Derek suffer at his hands.

" _Minho_.” The tall, blond-haired Alpha’s voice was sharp but controlled as he reached out to Stiles and tugged him back. “Stop. Play nicely.”

Despite the calm expression, his eyes had lost the warmth that had bubbled within them previously, even during the conversation with Derek—and I couldn’t believe I would think this, but they scared me. All three, their eyes all cold in their own way, a warning, a silent threat. 

_A promise for harm if anything else happened._

Minho reluctantly steps back, face sour as he leans on the countertop.

Stiles whips around to look at the taller boy, eyes meeting Newt’s as he glares—but not  _at_  Newt, he doesn’t seem like he could ever direct a glare at Newt.

"But he insulted you! He said you aren't worthy!" He hissed, eyes shimmering even more intensely if somehow possible.

Newt’s eyes flare red, a deep colour—and I couldn’t help but stuipdly feel jealous ( _again_ ) because they were a better colour than mine, a deeper more intense and piercing red with cat like slits but also impossibly warm at the same time.

(He doesn’t seem aware of the fact that he’d flashed them—and neither does Thomas.)

Such protectiveness and something else (which despite how dumb I can come across sometimes to others, I know what that something else is because I’ve experienced it before—am experiencing it with Kira).

Derek adds another unnecessary comment and Stiles begins to shift—but he doesn’t look like a wolf would, instead of fur he has orange around his eyes and white down his cheek and jaw in a pattern like style, he even had some down the sides of his neck. His ears elongated a lot more than a wolves’ and became almost horizontal with black fur sprouting at the tips. His canines extended into fox like ones.

_"I will tear you ah—”_

" _Oh-kay_ , that's our signal to leave. Goodbye," Newt said, and with inhuman strength, lifted the shorter boy off the floor. Thomas struggled angrily, hissing at Newt to put him down and describing in a  _horribly_  detailed manner how he'd like to pull Derek's limbs from his body.

I bite my lip.

Newt ignored all this, turning to Derek with still glowing eyes, whose own eyes shone blue as he glared at the blond. "Never ‘nsult Thomas in front of me ah’gain," He said, and though his voice was low, we could hear it—hear the barely concealed anger over Thomas' protests. "’Cause I'll show you just  _what_  kinda of Alpha I am."

I didn’t doubt it for a moment.

Newt was protective of Stiles, and he looked like he’d do anything to keep him from doing something reckless or from harm. Like a mother bear with her cubs.

They left, rushing up to Stiles’ room and the door slammed shut. I turned to Derek, glaring at him as I snatched him arm none to gently and drag him to the front door.

“We’re going to have a serious talk about your fucking attitude when we get to your flat.” I snarl.

"Stiles belongs to me." Derek growled lowly.

 I growl back, red eyes flashing. "No, he doesn't."


	4. Walks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: cougars - or, as most people call them, **mountain lions** \- are very territorial. 
> 
> Fun fact: So are **wolves.**
> 
> -
> 
> Newt and Thomas take a walk through the forest in their other forms, until Derek shows up to ruin their day.
> 
> UPDATED as of (1/7/14)  
> This update is mostly subtle changes

They were left with an almost deafening silence when Newt takes an angry, shifting Thomas upstairs.

Minho turned around then, ready to make Derek regret  _every single thing_  he said and did, now that there wasn't a Newt to stop him from making the werewolf bleed. 

But before Minho could open his mouth, Scott harshly grabbed Derek and dragged him out of the room, almost parallel to Newt and Thomas, except Scott was noticeably less gentle with his grip, and had an expression nearly as dark as Thomas' was.

"I didn't know Derek would act like that." Lydia said, twisting the end of her braided hair. She looked nervous, as if Minho would explode at her like Thomas did Derek. ( _Psh, Minho liked to think he was scarier than Thomas when he was angry (He knew deep down that was a lie). And anyway, Derek is his only enemy so far, for insulting Newt, and for managing to antagonize Thomas so much he started shifting._ ) "I'm really sorry."

"Dude, I don't know how you deal with that shucking pain in the ass." Minho growled, eyes trained on his sister's pack Alpha who was dragging that disrespectful trash away. "He talks shit about Newt or Thomas  _one_  more time, you won't even find his body."

Kira looked worriedly at him, a hand fiddling with her belt. "He was an Alpha once, too, Min. Don't be rash."

Minho tried not to let the warmth he felt inside ( _his sister was worried about him_ ) hinder his anger. He really wanted to punch that—

 _' Min, stop._' Newt's voice was clear in his mind, his amusement and pride sent through their bond along with his words, subconsciously he glanced up at the ceiling, lips pursed.  _' It's cute you and Tommy are gettin’ all riled up, defending my honour, but hey, I don't care ‘bout him or his words. Just calm down, yeah?'_

Minho felt Newt put a block up, probably telling Thomas something that he doesn't want to accidentally broadcast over to him. He wasn't sure which to first address here: that Thomas still has trouble doing that 'wall in mind' thing but can maintain the best poker face and scent block Minho's ever seen, or that Newt finds the need to hide something he's saying to Thomas. What could be so private that they can't tell their best friend—

_Actually, never mind, they can have their privacy._

"Fine." He acquiesced, both to Kira and Newt. "I'll shut up."

He still very much wanted to punch that asshole, though.

"Thank you, let's leave it to Scott."

Minho doesn't mention that he thinks 'leaving it to Scott' is equal to 'nothing happening at all'.

**~§~**

In the morning, it's not _'sunlight shining through the blinds, caressing his face'_ that woke Newt up. It's not anything sweet or nice. It's the slightly (un)bearable urge to go take a piss.

Newt yawned as he blinked the sleep from his eyes, before looking over at the clock. It was six o'clock in the morning. He tried to gently pry Thomas away from him. However, Thomas was having none of it; he clung to Newt like a baby koala bear, all four limbs wrapped around Newt.

(Newt would’ve found it adorable had it not been for the desperate need to relieve his extremely full bladder.)

Newt groaned, wriggling a little to get the boy off him. It took longer than if he didn't care about being gentle, but, after several moments, he finally managed to pry Thomas from himself.

He heaved a sigh of relief, laying the brunet back down on the bed. He quietly used the bathroom, before taking off his clothes. The soft sound of bones snapping, and joints popping were followed by silence as a beautiful, lithe mountain lion with doe brown eyes crept into bed.

**~§~**

Thomas awoke to something tickling his nose.

He sneezed, looking up to find an all too familiar golden tail. He slapped it away, hearing a soft mental snicker. He turned over and stared into the mountain lion's eyes.

"Really? It's too early." He grumbled, snuggling closer to the lion, who let out a soft purr.

 _‘Wanna go for a run?’_  Newt asked through the bond, tilting his head to the side.

Thomas smiled and nodded, he pushed himself off the bed and stood to take off his boxers that he slept in before shifting into a dark brown doe eyed fox with orange, white and black fur.

They walked and Thomas scampered in front of Newt, skidding on the wooden floor which got a chuckle from Newt, down the stairs together, and Sheriff Stilinski simply smiled at the two instead of freaking out, opening the back door to allow the two to lope out.

**~§~**

Derek walked through the forest in his wolf form, pissed off. Why the fuck was Stiles with this pathetic blond boy? Could that fucking were- _cougar_ even be a proper Alpha? And then Scott talked to him, tried to boss  _him_  around. What- was he warming up to that kid, too? Was he going to give Stiles up just like that?

Stiles knew  _them_  first.  _They_  loved Stiles first. _He_ loved Stiles first.

He gritted his teeth at the memory of Stiles' glare. The brunet used to look at him like that, but they got over it. They cared about each other. They had a fucking connection— he  _thought_  that they had a connection.

A breeze shook his fur, and he inhaled deeply.

His nostrils flared. 

_Earth, like mud and dirt. Familiar cooked strawberries and mint… and honey, disgustingly sweet and sticky._

He knew those scents.

Rage bled into his body, melded with his very being, coated his heart. 

That cougar decided to cross into Hale property? Into  _his_  territory?

This ground has tasted blood before.

And today, it will taste blood again.

**~§~**

Newt yelped as Thomas suddenly head-butted into his side, sending them both tumbling down the hill.

 _‘You’re such a playful little shank, ain’t ya?’_  He laughed, the spin making him see stars for two seconds.

Thomas nipped at Newt's ear, his eyes sparkling. Newt growled playfully, nipping Thomas back.

It had been a long time since they did this, since they felt this  _free_.

But of course, nothing ever goes to his plan.

There's a rustle, twigs snapping, quiet snarling. 

Newt tensed up, pushing Thomas behind him, growling softly. _‘Stay behind me, Tommy. I can smell that jackass.’_  He said, and even to his own ears, he sounds… different. Cold.

He half-wished he'd just let Minho or Thomas lunge at Derek, if it meant that this meeting could have been avoided, watching warily as the large dark wolf stalked forward.

The wolf drew his lips back, showing off sharp teeth, his eyes glowing blue.

 _‘Tommy, go.’_  Newt warned, standing his ground as his eyes flashed red.

_ ‘But–’ _

‘Now.’

Newt could feel Thomas' dejection, annoyance and hesitance. He tried to calm the were-fox through their pack bond, but he doubted it was working since he himself was worried.

_ ‘Newt—’ _

_‘Tommy, I said,_ now! _’_  Newt roared both mental and verbally, and Thomas darted away, just as Derek lunged at Newt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this was okay, and Dani, maybe you could write the next chapter with the actual fight? 
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> **yep, sure, np, but i'll be spamming u like a lot. :P**  
>  **anyway, we hope you guys like this! we did our best <3 **


	5. Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Mistakes._
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> Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is **deadly**. 
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> And guess who just made three mistakes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “TEXT” normal speech
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>  _'TEXT'_ pack bond 
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> «TEXT» communicating in animal form
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> Updated (1/7/18)  
> Small and subtle changes made.

It is one of the worst things in the world – losing, when so much is at stake.

And to Newt, what was at stake was Thomas' safety.

That meant so much more than even his own life.

He could  _not_  afford to lose.

Derek lunged at him, and Newt didn't even have to actually think about it, his reflexes acting up just in time to swipe at the wolf's face with his claws, roaring in warning.

«Stay  _the fuck_  back.» Newt snarled, mind racing to make a plan A and a plan B. He didn't know why Derek was attacking, didn't understand why the bloody hell this wolf looked like he wanted to murder them.

Plan A: Try to solve this calmly and rationally, without getting anyone hurt.

«Derek, just relax, I'm–»

«—Currently trespassing on my territory, and daring to say my name and tell me what to do,» Derek growled. «You've got a lot of nerve, cougar.»

«I-  _we_  didn't know this was private property, I'm really sorry.» Newt tried to sound placating, but he still tensed his body up for a fight. «Just let me get back, and we'll be out of your hair without any bloodshed.»

There was a beat of silence - the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and their heartbeats.

But then... listening more closely, there's also that faint sound of Thomas still being close by, still half-disobeying Newt by not running away at full-speed.

That little shuckface was so bloody stressful sometimes. Most of the time.  _All of the time._

Thomas is a damn reckless slinthead.

Newt would have continued to list how much of a reckless idiot his Tommy was but now wasn’t the time for that. He could do it later- with Thomas there to listen as Newt lectured him about his recklessness.

«Alright, I'll let  _you_  get back.» 

Newt was surprised at how easily Derek agreed.  _No_ , not exactly surprised - it was more 'suspicious'. Why would he let Newt just leave?

...Maybe he needed to give Derek a little more credit.

(That was his second mistake.)

«Okay, thank you—»

Dried leaves crunched underneath paws quickly racing toward him, and without thinking, Newt leapt to the side. He'd been expecting Derek to round on him and attack him again, but Derek hurried after the sound of Thomas fleeing-

and Newt's heart stops beating.

From there, he is nothing but adrenaline and anger and  _instinct_. Everything in him is a constant stream of 'protect Tommy!' and 'don't let that wolf get near what's yours.'

Plan B: Protect Tommy with your life.

He races after Derek, catching up rather quickly and slamming his body into the wolf's to jar him.

In his mind, he's shouting desperately for Thomas to run faster, to leave and get away and ‘ _Please just once in your life, actually listen to me without hesitance’_ — but he must be out of range, a bit too far for their bond to work that well.

He slams Derek against a tree after their rolling around, and it knocks the breath out of the wolf, giving Newt enough time to run a little closer to the direction where he smells and hears his fox.

(And  **that**  was his third mistake.)

_ Just a little bit more, just a little bit closer... just so he can talk to Tommy. _

Then pain engulfs his leg and he screams, turning his head back to see the wolf's jaw clamped around it.

** ~§~ **

Thomas was scared.

He was scared for Newt, scared because these woods felt eerily familiar like he's been here many times in a past life, scared because he left Newt with a shucking wolf who's already killed someone before - who's to say he won't do it again?

But more than that, he was  _furious_. He was so damn furious at Derek for insulting Newt. For attacking them. For ruining his fucking morning with his Alpha.

And if Newt gets hurt, he'll have a freaking aneurysm after murdering that good-for-nothing, so-fucking-antagonistic, flea-bitten mutt.

He thinks he hears a scream, and it makes him hesitate, his paws skid on the dead leaves that litter the ground as he stumbled to a slower speed, makes him want to disobey Newt and turn back and-

_ No _ , think calmly. Newt would want him to think and assess his choices.

He closes his eyes, blocks out the sound of the wind and the trees, trying to look for Newt and check if he's okay.

He doesn't hear that familiar voice and accent. He doesn't hear anything for a short and agonizing moment.

Until-

"I can't believe Scott would put the two of  _us_  as 'Derek babysitters'." A girl's voice, high-pitched and definitely annoyed. Thomas catches the sound of someone snapping twigs, his ears twitch at the sound.

"It's a cycle, Lydia. We get shifts." Softer, but exasperated. Like she'd been dealing with this for hours.

"Well, I don't get paid enough for my shift. Who even wants to petsit an angsty werewolf, hung-up on an 'almost, but never was'?"

_ Almost, but never was _ ? Is that why Derek was looking at him like that?

Thomas doesn't want to think about it.  _He doesn't care_. He's not Stiles anymore, and even if he was, someone else is his home. Someone sweet and caring and calm. Someone so, so, so beautiful and strong.

_ Someone who could be hurt and dying right now. _

Thomas shifts back to his human self, uncaring of his nudity. What is shame when he could be Newt's only chance?

"Oh my god, I'm looking at a naked butt- oh my god, oh my—"

"Thomas?" Thomas whirls around to see two girls - the two girls from yesterday, Lydia and Kira. Kira had a hand over her eyes, muttering something incoherent frantically under her breath.

Lydia was already taking her scarf off. "Thomas, are you okay? Why're you out here, dressed in... well,  _not dressed_. What's wrong?"

He needs their help.

Thomas stumbles toward them, ignoring the cloth that Lydia thrust forward. He thinks he's meant to wrap that around him, so he's not exposed to everyone. But that wasn't totally important right now.

"You're supposed to be tailing Derek?" He asked, and his voice breaks, but neither of the girls mention it.

He hates himself for running. He hates himself for leaving Newt. He is so shucking tired of just running and running and running from everything. He just wants to live peacefully, with no more fighting- he can’t take any more fighting.

"…Yes?" Lydia hesitates in confusion, all the while still trying to cover his hips. "Why?"

As if on cue, a pained roar fills the air.

A roar that fills Thomas' lungs with dread. Fills his entire being with so much despair, his knees almost buckle.

" _Newt_." he gasps.

Fire sears his heart, and his leg and body ache faintly - he knows the only pain that is actually his is the one in his chest.

"Newt! Newt, I'm coming!" Trees become a blur, and he's not sure if it's because he's running or because he's crying.

He doesn't even notice that Lydia and Kira are running after him, with Kira already on the phone with Scott.

_ He shouldn't have left when Newt told him to.  _

(That was Newt's  **first**  mistake.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP. I TRIED ME BEST. tell me what u think! and omg don't hate me, poor Newt ik ik. <3 hope you guys like this! c:
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> special shoutout to my wonderful brother who helped me with this and didn't complain when i stressed him out by making him read this again and again and tell me what he thought hahaha. u r da best bro evah.


	6. Assistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I hope we can see eye to eye now, Derek."  
> "Break a leg, kid."
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> Newt and Derek are battered and bruised. 
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> Not as much as the poor fucking trees, though.
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> UPDATED as of (1/7/18)  
> Subtle changes and adjustments made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY DANI PLEASE DON'T KILL ME
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> **ohohoho of course noooot**

He heard Thomas in his mind before his ears caught wind of the brunet racing to where they were, yelling like a bloody idiot.

' _Newt, Newt, please answer me–_ '

All he wanted was for Thomas to stop being so stubborn, for Thomas to be shucking safe for the rest of his life after all that goddamned shit they went through.

 _'I guess ya wouldn't be my Tommy if you weren't so hardheaded.'_  he replied, almost smiling at the tearful happiness and relief that coursed through their bond.

A growl and a tug pulled him back out of his thoughts. His head snapped back to the feral wolf.

The bite was painful, and like a Venus flytrap to its prey, it seemed like Derek didn't want to let Newt go, sinking his fangs deeper into his leg.

Newt grunted, swiping forcefully across the wolf's face with every word. «Let- go- bastard-» On the fourth swing, his claws catch Derek's eye, and the wolf lets his leg go in favour of howling in pain.

Newt doesn't allow himself a moment to rest, immediately kicking his good leg out to force the other creature farther away from him. His panting sounds too loud, and he pursed his lips shut, slowly raising himself up through the stinging sensation. He doesn't even want to look down and look it over. Not now.

_Thank god for adrenaline rushes._

The eye that Newt had almost clawed out was closed and bleeding heavily, and he couldn't help the swelling sense of satisfaction in his chest, couldn't help the burst of sadistic pleasure knowing he'd caused that.

«I hope we can see eye-tah-eye now, Derek.» He said - and  _fuck_ , he really shouldn't be trying to make jokes right now, but he's losing blood and that should be a good enough excuse, right?

«Break a leg, kid.» The wolf spat—

just as someone stepped through the trees at the edge of the clearing, paws crunching on dry leaves.

**~§~**

Lydia and Kira dashed after the now-fox, still on the phone with Scott.

 _"What do you mean, they ran into each other?!"_  Came Scott's panicked voice over the line, and Kira tried to explain things as best as she could while running. "I'm on my way, where are all of you?" He scrambled for the keys on the counter, jotting down a short note for his mother about how he had something important to do and to not worry.

"The edge of the woods near the school. Hurry." Kira said. "Oh, and please bring pyjamas. Two pairs, maybe. Please." There was a familiar voice yelling - he assumed it was Lydia - ("Thomas, wait!"), and then the line went dead.

Scott ran outside after getting Kira's odd request, entering his mom's car.  _She'd understand, right?_ He thought to himself absentmindedly.  _She had to know he has to do this - she had to understand he'd always want to protect his friends._

He continued to drive like a mad man, until he got out of his car at the edge of the woods, slamming the door and rushing forward, his eyes glowing red.

**~§~**

Newt couldn't breathe.

He didn't think Thomas was already this close, he didn't think Thomas would be so stupid as to actually enter the bloody clearing, he  _thought_ Thomas would wait in the side-lines and not fucking show himself.

Oh, but maybe he was the stupid one for not having thought that Thomas was the kind of reckless person who'd risk himself for people he loved.

He looked at the fox staring at his leg and tried to send soothing vibes, so Thomas didn't worry.  _He was okay. He'd heal. He can totally handle this. And also, get the fuck away._

But in his peripheral vision, he could see Derek's remaining eye was trained on Thomas, too.

He knows what'll happen before it does, so when Derek launches himself across the clearing, bounding straight toward Thomas, Newt's ready for him.

He intercepts the wolf's path, digging his teeth into the back of the feral’s neck, pushing Derek to the side and pinning him down with his weight.

_ 'N-Newt, your leg...' _

Newt ignored Thomas except for the spike of disappointment he sends, otherwise too preoccupied with keeping this obsessive wolf on the ground.

Derek slams himself into a tree, and by association, slams Newt into said tree as well, effectively getting him off his back and leaving him dazed. Because of this, he gains the upper hand, biting Newt's shoulder and throwing him against the tree again.

«So this is the best you can do?» He sneered at Newt, who was struggling to stand, leg healing ever-so-slowly. Derek laughed humourlessly, all sharp teeth and cold eyes— well,  _eye_. «That all you got, kid?»

He glanced at Thomas, before looking back at Newt. «Aren't you–»

And Newt doesn't really know what he is or isn't, and he thinks he'll never ever know, because Derek gets thrown against a tree with a scream and strong sound waves pushed through the air.

Kira and Thomas (back in his human form) rush to Newt, the girl positioning herself in front of him with her back to them as she took a katana out. Thomas grabbed Newt's hand as he shifted as well, afterwards throwing a scarf over his Alpha's lap.

"You disobeyed me, shuckface." Newt said under his breath, gritting his teeth at the pain from his wounds.

"And if I didn't? What would've happened to you?" Thomas challenged, tightening his grip on Newt's fingers. His face doesn't show anything when he continues in their mind. _'Where would I be?'_

Newt smiled fondly, although he guessed it looked more like an ugly grimace. _'With me, of_ _cause _. Always with me.'__

_ 'Good that.' _

**~§~**

Scott arrived shortly after Lydia managed to subdue Derek, eyes narrowed and red. It matched perfectly with the enraged expression on his face.

Thomas helped Newt up, thanking Scott for the soft pants that they put on. (Scott's heart squeezes painfully in his chest at Thomas' smile that looks so much like his old friend's and this was all just an elaborate joke Stiles cooked up.) Newt had to lean heavily against a tree while Thomas helped him put the pyjama pants on, groaning at the way the fabric brushes against the deep cut on his leg.

Once he's sure that the Alpha's okay, and Lydia's (for some reason, he trusts her a lot, even though he can't remember her too well - he just has this weird feeling) gently tending to Newt, wiping the blood with a scarf, he turns his gaze onto Derek and stalks forward, hissing.

"I let you be when you used your words to try and demean Newt." He said, voice dripping with poison and dangerously low, his teeth sharpened and eyes flared golden-orange. "But I will not forgive you for trying to kill him, for even  _daring_  to scratch his skin with  _your filthy claws_."

"He trespassed—"

" _I'm_  trespassing right now, so are your three friends. What, ready to murder us, too?"

A hand on his shoulder stops him from advancing any further, and he turns to see Scott, gaze hard as he looked at Thomas. "Stop, St–  _Thomas_. They're both just as beaten up as the other, leave him to me and go get Newt more healed up."

"No."

" _Yes_ , Tommy, he's right." Newt stands up with Lydia and Kira's help, his arms slung over their shoulders. "Let's just go home, Love."

**~§~**

Scott watched them leaving until they were out of sight and then turned his searing gaze on Derek.

"What. The. Fucking. Hell. Was. That." He ground out, his eyes flashing with pure rage.

"He was on my land, Scott." He snapped.

Scott sent him a withering look, ignoring Derek's reasoning. "I thought you wanted to change the people's perspectives on were-creatures, not reinforce what others already believe."

And with that, Scott turned his back, ready to leave Derek to think about what he had just done.

But he stops short when Derek speaks again. "He's stealing Stiles. Stiles was born here, he grew up here, he was our friend first, he was in  _our_  pack first. If that  _cougar_  was gone, Stiles wouldn't be pushing us away. He'd be remembering what he was to us. What he  _is_  to me."

"But Derek, it is what it is now. And if you really wanted him back,  _you_  should know better than  _anyone_  that Stiles would like you better if you weren't so violent and... whatever just happened." Scott shook his head. He can't believe he's talking love life stuff with  _Derek_ , of all people. "You might have just caused a war between two packs, Derek. Think about that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **poor trees u guys. poor freakin trees. they didn't do anythiNG WRONG and Derek and Newt and Lydia all cause these types of trouble that involve them!!! who will fight for the trees??? me!!! that's who!!!**
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> **hope you guys liked this!! talk to us please**  
>  **cy and i are desperate for validation <3**  
> 


	7. Let's Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He doesn’t seem to understand that situations change people and Thomas isn’t Stiles- sure you share the same appearance and perhaps personality traits and quirks, yes, but he should know that even had you not lost your memories that the situation you were in is enough to change a person from what they were.”
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> They have a chat, partly about Derek and partly about healing time.
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> Also, hello Liam.
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> It's short but it get what I wanted across. So yeah.
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> UPDATED as of (1/7/18)  
> subtle and minor changes made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note for Xyz & Spirit: I thought about what type of experiments WICKED would have done. Slowing healing rate down for supers seemed like one. It's explained better in the chapter.

Minho had started pacing back and forth from the moment he’d arrived at the Stilinski household, watching as Melissa cleaned Newt’s leg and other minor wounds caused by the no-good mutt. Thomas wasn’t much better than Minho, but he was sitting, jigging his leg up and down at an almost impossible speed.

Newt sighed and placed a hand on Thomas’ knee to stop it, then turned his gaze to Minho. “Sit, Min.”

The male Kitsune shot his Alpha a frustrated look but did as asked.

“May I ask why you’re not healing as fast as a normal supernatural creature?” Melissa asked once she’d finished bandaging Newt’s leg. She was frowning worriedly.

The pack of three were silent.

“WCKED did something to our healing abilities- at least those that were already supernatural before we went up. Thomas has normal healing speed since he transitioned after coming up.” Minho voiced after several moments.

Lydia looked curious. “Is that even possible?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them.” Minho added bitterly. Kira placed a hand on her brother’s shoulder as he shifted and looked like he wanted to pace again. He smiled in thanks, Kira beamed in return.

“Why’d Derek even attack us in the first place?” Newt asked, his expression scarily calm considering what had transpired only half an hour ago.

The Banshee shifted almost nervously. “It’s complicated.”

Thomas recalled something Lydia had said earlier as he’d run for them, ‘almost, but never was’. Did that have to do with this?

“Does this have to do with what you said before I got to you guys?” He asked, Lydia blinked. “You said ‘almost, but never was’.”

Lydia pursed her lips and Newt’s frowning, not looking at all happy with those words. He stared at Lydia almost daring her to confirm what Thomas was asking-

She nods, and Newt gave a growl, Thomas rumbles lowly back in reassurance.

 _‘Don’t worry, Newt.’_  Thomas nudged reassuringly over the pack bond.  _‘Like I’d ever tolerate his presence now anyway.’_

Newt leant back in his seat and eyes Thomas from the corner of his eye in amusement.  _‘I should hope so.’_

Minho snickered, and Thomas grinned.

“That’s gonna get some getting used to.” Lydia mused aloud with her own amusement.

Melissa blinked at the strawberry-haired ginger in confusion. “Pardon? Get used to what?”

“They share a pack bond that’s a lot more intimate than us. While with ours we just get some impressions of what someone might being feeling, they can send emotions and _communicate_ through it.” Lydia answered smiling.

Melissa’s brows went up in amazement as she glanced at the three boys as they nodded to confirm it.

“That’s…” she trailed off

“Amazing?” Minho offered.

“Astounding?” Newt added.

“Phenomenal?” Thomas supplied.

The three shared looks and chuckled, the three female smiling at the close-knit trio.

Suddenly the front door opens and Scott steps in with another boy, younger than them all with honey-blond brown hair and blue eyes.

A werewolf, and quite a new one too. 

He smiles awkwardly when he spots them. “Uh- hi.”

Scott raised a brow at the boy and shook his head. “Right, Liam, this is Thomas, Minho and Newt. Guys, this is Liam.”

“Sup.” “Hey.” “Nice to meet you, mate.”

Melissa chuckled.

“Hi.” Liam repeated, this time not as awkwardly however.

“You’ve said that already.” Thomas pointed out playfully, lips quirking upwards. He felt strangely at ease around this boy.

Liam flushed in embarrassment. “Right- sorry.”

Scott sighed, turning to the other Alpha. “I’m sorry- while Derek can be impulsive at times I didn’t think he’d go that far.”

Newt hissed almost cat-like, eyes flaring red. “What is his problem with me? I’ve done nothin’ to antagonize his behaviour towards me and I’ve just learnt that the reason Derek hates me is cause he’s jealous of the fact that Thomas and I are tahgether.”

Scott winced. “Derek doesn’t like the fact that you’ve ‘stolen’  _Stiles_ from us- from him _._ ”

Lydia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms before explaining further. “He doesn’t seem to understand that situations change people and Thomas  _isn’t_ Stiles- sure you share the same appearance and perhaps personality traits and quirks, but he should know that even had you not lost your memories that the situation you were in is enough to change a person from what they were.”

Melissa nodded. “It true. Amnesia is known to cause changes in the person. It’s more common than one might expect- normally just extremely subtle things. Thomas and Stiles, from what I’ve seen, are almost identical but Thomas’ protective nature is more prominent then Stiles’s was. I don’t think the situation they forced you in helped at all, Stiles was often paranoid about certain things and believe or not, didn’t trust easily. I don’t doubt you, as Thomas, have trust issues and will have problems with certain things in the future. You all could.”

Thomas pursed his lips as he took in the information. Newt’s thumb gently rubbing his knee drew his eyes upwards to meet his.

“Wait- Stiles didn’t trust easily?” Kira asked, looking confused.

Melissa laughed. “You wouldn’t expect the goofy one to be the most sceptical one out of the entire pack of supernaturals, right? He was normally right too, which if that doesn’t prove something, I don’t know what will.”

Thomas smiled.

 _‘You’re still quite goofy when ya wanna be.’_  Newt hummed in a playful tone.

Minho chuckled over the bond.  _‘Even the wipe couldn’t seem to force that from you- or your paranoia.’_

Thomas playfully glared at Minho, he just crackled.


	8. Other Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noot and Tomboy learn more about Stiles' relationship with Derek from Noah's view. School is mentioned and memories are discussed.
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> UPDATED as of (1/7/18)  
> Subtle and minor tweaks made.

Noah exhaled heavily as he rubbed his brow, listening to Thomas and Newt explain what Derek had done. He had arrived home several hours after a phone call from Melissa that briefly informed him of what had taken place. So he’d asked the two boys to fill him in more. While they did so, the couple snacked on an early dinner of carbonara with penne pasta.

(And it's a stupid thought, maybe, but Noah was half-relieved that his son didn't get hurt. Stiles may not remember he's Stiles, and he may go by Thomas now, but he's still Noah's son. And he is so thankful for Newt being there, despite the thought that Derek probably wouldn't attack had it been just Thomas, but he also dreads the thought of what Derek would have done instead.)

“What was Derek and my… friendship like?” Thomas asked hesitantly. “From his dickish personality, I don’t think I’d tolerate him very much, but I’ve been told we became quite close before my kidnapping.”

Newt blinked but also looked curious. Their anger had mostly ebbed away now, leaving annoyance in its place.

Noah took a sip of his coffee as he pondered on the question. “At first, you- I wouldn’t say hated, more  _disliked_ him. In fact, you believe he’d murdered his sister at first.” Their brows went up and Noah added: “It was actually his uncle. Anyway, he was wanted by police some point later which is where I think you began to tolerate him as you tried to find the real killer? For a long time, you weren’t really what you’d call friends but you both warmed up over time. I didn’t have enough interactions with you both at the same time to really be able to tell anything more was going on- in fact up until your kidnapping, you claimed to be straight.”

Newt chuckled, and Thomas blinked owlishly.

“I didn’t think you talked more than necessary either.” Noah continued after taking another sip of the warm beverage.

“So there was no indication that they’d gotten to the point of like- seeing each other?” Newt asked, Thomas linked his fingers with the blond’s. Newt tightened the grip.

Noah shook his head. 

“Who’s Derek’s uncle?” Thomas asked after he’d taken another mouthful, still partly chewing as he asked.  

His father rolled his eyes at the action and Newt sighed but smiled in amusement. Thomas did that more often then he realised. It was cute though. Thomas gave a mental jab down the bond in embarrassment as Newt accidentally broadcasted the thought. Newt chuckled aloud.

“Peter Hale. The guy’s currently in Eichen House, in a special supernatural holding cell after he’d gone off the deep end.  _Again_.” the older man grumbled.

“Eichen… House?” Thomas repeated. The name sent shivers down his spine, the idea of whatever it was, it scared him.

“A mental health facility- also called a psychiatric hospital.” Noah explained grimly. “We’ve not had much luck with that place.”

Thomas licked his lips as he felt memories flicker to the forefront of his mind, he’d been a patient? Malia was there too if he recalled correctly. But why was he there?

Newt’s fingers tightened again.  _‘Tommy?’_

_ ‘Yeah?’ _

_ ‘What’s with the sudden uneasiness?'  _

_ ‘I… I think my dad’s right about the whole no good luck with that place.’ _  Thomas answered, exhaling deeply as he stared at the plate of food.  _‘I think I might have been inside too. Don’t know why but… it doesn’t give me anything but bad feels.’_

_ ‘Well, whatever happened couldn’t have been too bad, right?’ _  Newt reassured.  _‘And we’re not going anywhere near that place anyway.’_

Thomas exhaled and smiled at Newt. 

"I would also like to talk to you about something else." Noah brought up once the boys finished their dinner and he'd downed his coffee, he leaned forward on the dinner table. The couple looked to him. "Unfortunately, since you're both underage you'll have to go to school."

"School?" Newt asked, he'd not thought about that. He'd not really thought about their future that much after they'd arrived in Beacon Hills. One day at a time, right? That was what the nurses had suggested as they got settled in.

Noah nodded. "Because you've both had your uh... with the lack of memories, they’re not sure what level would be best to put you both in. Which means I'll need to take you in for a few tests to determine that."

It was understandable.

_ 'Think Minho will have to do the same?' _  Thomas asked.

_ 'Maybe? He's a year older than us but for the sake of an education, he might be held back.' _ __ Newt offered. _'But I don't know anything to do with that stuff so it's just a guess.'_

His Tommy hummed.

** ~§~  **

Newt bat his paw at the playful Thomas, the fox mock growling and yipping as he tried to get close enough to nip at the cougar's snout. The sandy big cat bopped Thomas' head and it caused the fox to stumble. Newt snickered as Thomas pouted, he growled and leapt as the feline yelped, his fox companion scrambled onto his back. He gave a gekkering sound at his success and Newt huffed back playfully, accepting defeat. Thomas nibbled at the cougar's ear and Newt shook himself to get Thomas to fall from his back, he did so with a yelp. Newt nabbed the fox by his scruff and dragged him between his paws where he blocked the orange, black and white fox from escaping.

Thomas curled up and as Newt began to nip and clean his coat, purred.

Neither could sleep and to waste built up energy, had shifted and played. It was a common pass time for them- most Gladers had full shift abilities and often played games, one of which was where they'd get into teams and hunt down other players. Even Alby and Gally had gotten evolved with the games. Smaller shifters often found the best hiding places which made it harder for the large ones. Either way, group activities were great ways to spend extra energy left over from the day.

Thomas yawned and blinked tiredly. Newt trilled lowly and catching the half-asleep Thomas by his scruff again, lifting him up (he also adorably curled in on himself), Newt climbed onto the bed. The sheets were already pulled back and all Newt had to do was place Thomas down and curled up around him, pulling the covers up in case they shifted during the night by accident. Newt didn't want Noah to walk in and find them butt naked. It would get awkward fast.

By the time morning had come back around, Newt's suspicion of them shifting during the night had been correct. Thomas lay partly on top of him, their legs entangled together, and he was nibbling at Newt's collarbone in his sleep. The blond huffed out a chuckle, the movement of his chest stirred his Tommy, he mewled softly and snuggled impossibly closer.

Newt's arms encircled Thomas' waist. "Tommy."

_ "Nooooo." _

Newt found himself grinning. "C'mon sleepy-head, it's already-" Newt managed to snag a glance at the digital clock on the bedside table. "Half nine."

Thomas just moaned again but rolled off Newt, laying for a few moments before sitting up with a deep yawn as he stretched, joints popping as he did. Newt's fingers brushed up and down Thomas' spine as he watched the beautiful bambi-eyed boy blink the sleep from his eyes.

Thomas dropped back down, rolling onto his side to look at Newt, he snuggled closer again but showed no signs of wanting to return to sleep. It's silent for a while, both enjoying the tweeting of birds outside and the wind that brushed past, causing a quiet whistling noise as it hit the window.

"Can I ask you something?"

Newt blinked, mildly confused because Tommy knows he doesn't have to ask permission to ask him a question- but (as Newt thinks about it more) Thomas only tended to ask that when he thought the subject manner would be sensitive. So immediately Newt's a little on edge with worry, "Sure, go ahead, Love."

"Do you remember anything?"

Again, Newt blinked but this time he pursued his lips too.  _Yes_ , his mind supplied but was unsure whether he wanted to share that answer because he knew Tommy would ask what he remembers, and Newt doesn't want to share it. Not because he was selfish and didn’t want to share anything- far from it but the memories he does have, aren’t pleasant. Sure, he had a few that stuck out but the rest... and Thomas shouldn't have to worry about something like that- something in the past. However, his hesitance to answer lingered long enough to clue Thomas in that he did, in fact, remember something.

"Hey." His Tommy's voice was soft and it draws his eyes back to meet his. "You don't have to tell me anything, y'know."

Newt exhales deeply but he'd made his mind up. "S'okay, Tommy. I don't have many, a mix of some good, mostly bad. From what I can tell, my father... wasn't the nicest man. But I had a lil’ sister called Elizabeth- I'd call her Lizzy for short. I think... my dad sold us both to WCKED- at different times but I think she had Banshee genes? It's a bit fuzzy."

Tommy hums. "I think when I was Stiles, we faced some sort of Lizard creature."

Newt snorts with laughter. "What?"

Thomas grins. "I know, I just remember a few things about it- we managed to fix the guy who turned into it but there were some weird events that happened during that. I think some guy got obsessed with one of..." Thomas trailed off and sat up. Newt immediately copies him, a worried look plastered on his face as Thomas stared ahead in a daze, a look between confusion and distraught. "-Allison."

_ Allison? _  Newt silently mouthed, he didn't recall an Allison in the McCall pack, and they'd met everyone- unless she was out of town for some reason?

"I..." Thomas looked down at his lap. "She's died... I think. I don't..."

_ That explains it, _  Newt thought grimly.

"Hey, hey." Newt turns Thomas to face him when his look twisted into distress. "Try not to force anything, 'kay, Tommy? You might not like what you see, yeah?"

Thomas silently nodded and slumped against Newt, inhaling the honey and earthy smell of his Anchor was always calming to Thomas. The couple went back to basking in the silence between them.


	9. Maybe They Do Need School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they're done basking in each other's very much welcomed nudity, they get ready for a whole other kind of hell. 
> 
> Oh, sorry. I mean, school. 
> 
> Situation? School entrance exam where they decide what year level to put the Ivy Trio in.
> 
> UPDATED as of (1/7/18)  
> subtle and minor tweaks made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to clarify. i'm sure you lovelies already know, but _'TEXT'_ are things they say over their bond. And "TEXT" are actual dialogues.  <3

It was the guidance counsellor, Ms. Marin Morrell, who greeted them when Noah knocked on the door to the office. Thomas and Newt stood behind the Sheriff, their hands clamped together in an attempt to soothe their nerves.

How could they not be nervous? This was new to them — maybe not to Stiles and Samuel, but they were Thomas and Newt, and as far as they were concerned, they've never been to school before. 

Despite the validity of their feelings, they couldn't help but find their nervousness stupid because they've faced a bunch of Grievers, and somehow this terrified them more? It was laughable - in fact, the pair did laugh over the bond they shared.

Ms. Morrell invited the three into her office, telling them that they were waiting for another. She glanced at her folder, then looked back up when Thomas started tapping his foot on the floor. "I hope that's okay?"

"Yes. Definitely." Thomas said, squeezing Newt's hand a little bit tighter as he tried to hide how nervous he was. Not really for himself, more for their pack of three in general - because, what if they got separated in classes or to different year levels? He didn't like being too far away from Newt, never has been since the first time in the Scorch. "Sorry, we can wait."

Newt raised their interlaced hands to his mouth, pressing a kiss to Thomas' knuckles.  _'Relax, Tommy._ ' He soothed through their bond, although he's asking out loud if the other person was named Minho. Ms. Morrell smiled and nodded.  _'Compared to_ _WCKED _, this is child's play.'__  He hesitated briefly, before adding. _'Probably.'_

Thomas felt his face go warm. Trying not to show that Newt's actions made him feel flustered was just as hard as trying not to show he still was nervous about the test, but he did his best hiding behind a mask, maintaining a poker face. He didn't like Morrell's carefully controlled smile, and her calculating stare made it seem like she could see through them, like she could read and hear them talking to each other through their bond. 

He didn't like the slightly painful flashes of seeing that smile on someone before, blonde hair in a tight bun, a hand on his shoulder and—

"Hello, fuc–  _ow_ , okay, jeez." The door opened to reveal a frowning mother and her pouting son. "Hi,  _shuck_ face number one, and hey, Newt."

"Hey, Min." A wave of calm washed over Thomas, feeling a little more put together with both his Alpha and his best friend in the room. Minho settled into the seat beside Thomas', patting his knee and sending a grin to Newt.

Noshiko smiled at Thomas, Newt and Noah before sitting down beside her son.

"Great, let's start."

Morrell went over what the tests would include and how they'd use the scores to put the three teens into the classes appropriate for their needs. It would also tell her if they might need a bit more help with certain subjects than others, but only time would truly tell. The concept of the tests didn't sound too hard but all three knew speaking about it and actually doing it would be completely different. They'd experienced that concept first hand within the Maze.

 _'See? Easy.'_  Newt said, and his tone was completely blank. Had it not been for the way his jaw clenched for a second, Thomas wouldn't have known he was trying to reassure not only him and Minho but also himself.

Thomas found himself fairly familiar with most of the questions.

Newt and Minho struggled a bit—

( _'What the shuck is a shucking logarithm? Newt? Thomas? Who the shuck needs school anyway? What is studying? Is this hell?'_

_ 'Always thought you'd end up here, Min, but not me. So it's probably not hell yet.' _

_ 'Newt, you don't understand. I'm losing my–' _

_ 'Min-' _

_ '–mind, and you guys will have to bury me and play nice songs at my funeral–' _

_ 'Minho, if you don't slim it, I will stuff this buggin’ paper into your bloody mouth.' _

_ 'Sorry, Newt. It's too late. You should've killed me when you had the chance.' _

_ 'Twat.' _

_'Thanks, dearest.'_  Thomas could almost hear Minho's amusement in his mind, but the two's frustration kind of overpowered that.)

— but generally found the test relatively easy.

That had to be good, right?

Hopefully. 

Their results could reveal that, while they found it alright to do, they got a lot of answers wrong. But  _hopefully_ , that wouldn't be the case.

Once the tests were completed, Ms. Morrell dismissed them and informed the two adults that she'd call them within the next day or so with results.

As she bade them goodbye, that same secretive smile on her face, Thomas couldn't help but think there was so much more to her that he should know of - but just couldn't remember. 

**~§~**

Minho had tagged along with them on their way home, and now he was sprawled on top of Thomas' bed, said brunet cuddled into his side. 

Any other person and Newt probably would've made sure they wouldn't have any arms to hug anyone else ever again. (Key word:  _probably_. He's not a psychotic barbarian.) As it was, Minho and Thomas have always had this connection between them - maybe it was the fact that they were both kind of foxes, maybe it was because they risked their lives for each other back in the Maze. 

Whatever it was, it made them closer. Made them feel like brothers, like they're more family than Noah and the Yukimura's could ever be now. 

So, Newt let them have their adorable snuggle fest. This was loads better than Thomas coldly threatening to murder Derek, better than Thomas crying in Newt's arms at night because of his nightmares and his fears of losing them. He continued drawing Thomas in his fox form on a notebook the brunet had dug out from under the bed. (It belonged to Stiles and had a lot of little doodles on the back with stuff like 'LM', 'strawberry blonde', and small hearts. He ripped those pages out before lending it to Newt - even though he wasn't totally sure what they meant, he felt embarrassed and didn't want his boyfriend to ever see that.) 

There were a bunch of other stuff that used to be Stiles', but they still hadn't been able to go through all of it yet. 

Minho rubbed his nose, leaning slightly away from Thomas to give him a teasing smile. "Why am I not surprised that you two are starting to smell so much like each other now?" Thomas didn't reply, hiding his face into the pillow. Newt merely chuckled and muttered something under his breath (to their enhanced hearing, it sounded an awful lot like "maybe cause we live together?" in a tone that implied he found Minho incredibly slow). "So, my two best friends are making me the third wheel, huh."

Newt erased a line and brushed the rubber shavings away. "Sorry, Min. It's called a bicycle, not a tricycle."

Thomas gave a loud groan, reaching over and throwing a pillow at Newt without looking. He heard a curse and then the now-familiar sound of Newt erasing something, so he figured he'd hit the mark. "There are tricycles in this world, too, in case you didn't know."

" _Not_  important." Minho interjected, before Newt could retort. He ruffled Thomas' hair, his touch gentle but playful. "He basically just admitted to being your boyfriend."

"Which I am."

"He is."

Minho looked floored, glancing at the two who just carried on doing their own thing - Newt with drawing, and Thomas with... whatever. Sniffing the pillows? Trying to make the pillow eat his face?  _Ha_ , he probably has Newt for that one already. 

"He kind of does." Newt said out loud, at the same time as Thomas' "I do." and Minho realizes  _he'd_  been broadcasting down the bond.

"I mean, I knew you had something, but I thought you were– I thought Thomas was too oblivious– I don't…" He pinched the bridge of his nose. " _Shuck, I really do need this school thing._ "

"He was." Newt deadpanned before smirking. "At least ‘ntil I showed him what my intentions were."

Thomas chokes on his spit, face still buried in the pillow and Minho snorts with laughter.

Sometimes, Thomas' pack could be so embarrassing. But he loved them anyway, with all his heart, and he'd do anything to stop anyone from harming them. From harming Minho. From harming his Alpha, his  _Newt_. 

**Anything.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, this is Dani, Xyz, etc etc. It's been a hectic weekend and gOSH I miss writing. The three of us have been talking (COUGHprocrastinatingCOUGH) on ig, and we can't wait for the drama. **I** can't wait for the drama huehuehue
> 
> alright so.  
> this is mostly just a filler, but still.  
> hope you liked what we made, tell us what you think lovelies <33


	10. Ice-Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia and Kira take the trio ice-skating.
> 
> Purely filler, that's it really.
> 
> oh, and Malia likes that Newt's been staking his claim on Tommy.
> 
> \----- All previous chapters have been updated -----
> 
> Also, there are one-shots based around this story, a few about during the maze period and another once they'd returned. The after ones are more outtakes/ missing scenes that happen between chapters. Another one will be posted by the time this updates will notify you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cy fucked this up at first and they apologize.
> 
> They're referring to an incident where they accidentally posted the chapter and I was forced to save the day by copying the stuff onto a word doc and deleting it before it updated ya'll. Also, Cy has started talking in third person, save us all. ~Void
> 
> ^shuT Void i am fine *casually eats a scarf* ~Cy

It was much later- the sun starting its descent when the knocking on the front door stirred Newt awake. For a moment, he was tempted to ignore it and snuggle back into Thomas' warmth, but it continued, and Minho grumbled the other side of Thomas, so with a groan (Thomas always slept through louder noises somehow, it was adorable though), Newt sat up and stumbled down the stairs. He tugged the door open and was met with familiar strawberry blonde hair that belonged to Lydia.

She sighed. In frustration, relief, or impatience, Newt wasn't really sure. "Finally- I thought you had all died or something." she paused, her expression turning sheepish. "Although I'd know if you died, wouldn't I?"

Newt blinked, hand tightening on the door. He heard footsteps going up the gravel and looked over to see Minho's sister walking up to them, her hands shoved in her jacket pockets. "Okay? Not to sound rude or anything, Lydia, but why are you and Kira here?"

"I mentioned to Kira, who told Minho, that I was gonna take you all ice-skating, for, you know, bonding time." she answered in a duh tone.

"Min didn't say anything," Newt muttered under his breath, kind of annoyed. If he'd known they'd be going out again, he wouldn't have let them fall asleep.

(Admittedly, Newt knew they'd have more than likely slept through the entire night and woken up early, which may or may not be an ideal thing since he and Tommy were trying to get a new internal clock for their bodies.) 

Kira chuckled, whispering something along the lines of "Definitely still Minho."

Lydia sighed, before taking a closer look at his face. "Did we wake you up?"

Newt gave a thin-lipped smile. "Yep."

She winced slightly, and Newt opened the door more to let them in, stepping aside as they did.

"I'll go wake Minho and Tommy." He said, then gestured to the direction of the kitchen (as if he even owned the house, ha). "Help yourself to anything."

He proceeded to stumble back up the stairs and into the bedroom, smiling at the sight of his  _boyfriend_  reaching to where Newt usually slept, trying to wrap his arms around air. He perched on the edge of the bed and brushed Thomas' fringe from his eyes before gently shaking his shoulder. "Hey Tommy."

The smaller boy grumbled and snuggled into the pillow instead, trying to chase the sleep Newt was taking away. Newt smiled deviously and pulled Thomas into his arms. Thomas gave a low fox-like whine and tried to snuggle into Newt (because he was hell of a lot warmer than the bed) but Newt lightly dragged his nails up and down his side which made Thomas squirm and stifle a giggle.

 _"Newwwwt."_  Thomas whined into his neck. Newt chuckled quietly.

"C'mon, Lydia's here and she wants to take us out." Newt prompted, kissing his forehead. "Minho just happened to forget the fact that Kira told him they were gonna take us ice-skatin’ tonight."

Thomas perked up. "Ice-skating?"

"Yeah. Wanna wake Minho up?"

His Tommy grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief as he crawled from Newt's lap and stood on the bed.

He started bouncing. "Min- _ho_!"

Newt covered his mouth to stop himself from bursting into laughter as Thomas continued to bounce and call the Kitsune's name, making sure to put emphasis on the ' _ho_ ' part. Minho was most definitely awakened by this, he groaned loudly, turning to look over his shoulder at who was making the racket and glared at Thomas, who just grinned and jumped from the bed and rushed from the room.

Minho scrambled after him, shouting: "Get your backside back here right now, Tom-boy, I'm gonna kill ya!"

He could hear the grin in Minho's voice.

**~§~**

The journey to the skating rink was mostly silent, other than the occasional joke or conversations had over the pack bond.

As they entered the door, they spotted Malia sitting there. She glanced up as soon as they entered and stood. "About time you got here."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "They were sleeping, Malia. So sorry for being so late.”

Malia huffed, before answering. "Well try and be quicker next time."

"We'll- uh, try." Thomas smiled awkwardly. Malia kind of reminded him of Gally, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Should he be nice? Hostile?

Oh,  _nice_  is a good idea. He'd rather not have another Gally as a frenemy.

Newt sighed, resisting the urge to comment on the coyote's rudeness.

Minho snorted, unamused, grumbling something incoherent under his breath. It sounded something along the lines of "pushy coyote" which caused Malia to snarl, flashing her blue eyes.

It seemed like she still took some things to heart.

"Malia! Stop flashing your eyes!" Lydia whisper-shouted, horrified at what Malia had just done. Another young couple, looking to be in their mid-twenties stared sceptically at them as they passed, before going back to their conversation.

Malia just rolled her eyes and huffed.

Lydia sighed and turned to Thomas, hooking her arm with his as she led him towards the booth to get their skates. She watched, amused, as he stared at the ice and the people skating in awe and excitement but also familiarity.

“The last time we were here was during a period where I was coming into my Banshee powers.” She commented in a conversational tone.

Thomas frowned, lips pursed. “I... think I- you’re a good skater, right? I think I can remember that.”

Lydia smiled widely, proud and excited that this had triggered something within his mind. _She_ , and not Scott or Derek, had made Stiles remember a little bit. “Yeah. It really surprised you.” She hummed, leaning her cheek on Stiles' shoulder. "You stared at me in complete awe, Stiles." She winced. "Sorry- Thomas."

Thomas shook his head. “It’s alright, you're one of the people that I don’t mind the slip up with- you’ve made an effort to call me Thomas from the start.”

Lydia squeezed Thomas' arm. Thomas was just as understanding as Stiles was; so, it felt different, but it also felt familiar at the same time, being around Thomas.

“And anyway, what the hell even is a Stiles?” He mused, lips curling upwards as they reached the booth. Lydia laughed, attempting to stifle it by covering her mouth and Thomas beamed in success.

They were asked what their shoe sizes were at the counter, taking the boots given to them. Thomas tugged them on as he waited for Newt, Minho, Kira and Maila to get theirs. 

(Newt hadn't been able to stop the smile as he and Minho overheard Thomas’s and Lydia’s conversation.

“He’s making an effort.” Minho notes happily. It was true, Thomas had become an quiet person who would rather have others talk with him just listening unless the situation really called for it.

Damn WCKED.

Newt wondered if it’s an unconsciously developed thing; that he was silent because the talking of others reassured him that they were there. Of course, he did speak- to him and Minho, but he preferred to let others do the talking unless he had something to add or the situation called for it.

“Yeah.” Newt hummed, just as happily and proud of his boyfriend as they nabbed their boots. He eyed his Tommy as he seemed to animatedly chat with the strawberry blonde Banshee. For a moment, Newt felt his chest tighten as he was reminded of Lizzy- he wonders what happened to her, hopes she's not suffering like him, but he sadly doesn't have high hopes. He just hopes that she didn't suffer as she came into her Banshee powers, if she did have them as suspected, and that she doesn't experience screaming the names of her friends.)

 _'Newt?'_  Thomas questioned over the bond. The short brunet doesn't stop talking with Lydia as he asked the question.

Newt exhaled deeply as he also felt Minho's eyes on him.  _'Just thinkin' 'bout somethin’.'_

 _'What type of thoughts could trigger a sadness like that?_ ' Minho asked.

Newt gave a tight-lipped smile, forcing himself to feel the happiness he always had when their trio was complete, and portraying that to the bond instead.  _'Sorry, I just... I had a sister with Banshee genes, WCKED also got her.'_

Thomas is quiet at his words, sending calming waves from his side of the bond, and Minho doesn't reply, instead rests a hand on his shoulder, tightening his grip in silent reassurance. 

Their attention all moves as an announcement to notify of the next group of skaters signals overhead and Kira, as she stands, smiled at them. "C'mon!"

She moved towards the half-door of the skating ring. Malia followed, hardly seeming bothered by the oddly balanced shoes on her feet.

Thomas stands next, his knees shook at the odd sensation of the skates but followed the two girls towards the ice. Lydia chuckled as she followed, which prompted Minho and Newt to move themselves.

They joined Thomas as he stood at the gate, staring at the ice in hesitance.

Minho slaps the shortest boy on the back, Thomas grunts as the railing digs into his stomach, and steps into the ring, immediately pushing off but keeping hold of the side. Thomas watched with a deadpan expression as Minho shot a grin over his shoulder as he levelled with Kira and Malia.

Newt rolled his eyes at the Asian but stepped on next, holding onto the side and turning to Thomas with a playful smirk. "Comin’, love?"

Thomas puffed his cheeks full of air and set a boot on the ice. He yelped as his foot slipped forward a tiny bit and Newt chuckled. Thomas glared at him and Newt continued to smile, eyes twinkling to signal his amusement.

"What's with the glare, Tommy?" He asked innocently.

Thomas continued to glare and huffed before turning his attention back to the ice and brought his second foot on the ice.

Both Newt and Thomas turned their attention to Lydia as she chuckled at the pair. She smiled and gestured with her head. "Let's go?"

She skated slowly alongside the pair as they got accustomed to the ice enough to let go of the handrail.

Thomas stumbled and latched onto Newt, which made him slip and took the both of them down. They shared a groan.

"Tommy." Newt moaned.

(If Thomas were still Stiles, he probably would've immediately reddened at the sound. But he was Thomas, and he liked being Thomas, because Thomas didn't blush or show any reaction to Newt fucking moaning his name. Albeit not in  _that_  context. God, he was whipped.)

Thomas chuckled nervously, and Lydia snorted, rolling her eyes and ditched them.

"L-Lydia!" Thomas cried after her and she threw a laugh over her shoulder.

Newt got to his feet again and helped his Tommy up. Newt stole a kiss as Thomas glanced up to thank him, Thomas hummed into the kiss as he returned it.

"Oi, shanks! No kissing on the ice." Minho jeered playfully as he skated by.

"Well, you stop showing off." Newt chided in return.

Thomas laughed, resting his forehead on Newt's shoulder. The blond Alpha hummed and swapped their positions, so that Thomas was the one next to the railing and took his other hand.

It was quiet this time of evening, so there weren't that many people on the ice which allowed the couple to take their time and had no worry about being accidentally rammed into. Eventually they ditched the railing for hands-free.

Newt was enjoying this- a lot, mostly because his boyfriend was having an amazing time. The Alpha watched as the grin hardly ever faded from Thomas' face. God, did Newt love him, the happy sensation bubbled over their bond and at this moment in time, none of them had to worry.

Worry about what might happen tomorrow or an hour from now or even have to spare a thought about what had already happened. It was peaceful, and Newt wanted that tranquillity to last and never vanish- but this was the real world, there was always going to be something. It might not be as severe as the Maze or Scorch, but they still had a lot to learn and get used to.

**~§~**

Their time on the ice came to an end at seven o'clock and once they'd returned the skates, Lydia led them to the diner that sat on the other side of the road. The place was also on the quieter side, the dinner rush had finished not too long ago so they were able to find a booth with relative ease. They ordered their food and drinks soon after.

As Thomas lay his head on Newt's shoulder and Newt resting his cheek on his Tommy's head, Malia sniffed, and it caught all their attention as she looked at the couple with an almost proud look. "You smell a lot more of your cougar than when we last saw you, Stil-Thomas." 

Thomas sputtered, cheeks tinting red as he realised what she was hinting at. Minho laughed, and Newt hummed into his Tommy's hair. Lydia smiled, it was boarding on a grin as she too recognised what the coyote meant. Poor Kira blinked, confused.

"It should tell Derek to back the fuck off." Malia nodded, again looking proud of Newt before she stood and threw an "I need the loo, be back in a moment" over her shoulder.

"What did she mean?" Kira asked, and the remaining group turned to the female Kitsune with almost pitying looks. She blinks again. Suddenly, Thomas leans over Minho and pats her cheek.

Minho and Newt snickered as Thomas sat back.

"Have you slept with Scott yet?" Lydia asked, and Kira flushed and shook her head.

"No, why?"

Lydia leaned back against the seat rest. "Oh Kira."

Minho pursed his lips, resting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "When you spend time in someone's presence, their scent lingers for a short period of time, but Newt and Tom-boy are dating -  _so_."

Kira continued to frown- then her eyes widened with a look of shock and pure embarrassment. "O-oh!  _Oh._ "

"Why'd she point it out anyway?" Newt asked, glancing at Lydia.

"She spent several years as a coyote after an incident, so she's more in tune with her animal side, and doesn't care much about human decency, courtesy, and unspoken rules. It was only last year that we changed her back, she still struggles a bit- it's kind of funny actually." Lydia answered, smiling.

"Yeah, I guess it's kind of funny—" Minho started to say, but he's cut off by a new voice just behind Thomas and Newt.

"I don't know why I'm never invited to these kinds of things." A hand pressed on the back of Newt's chair, and a familiar scent makes Newt's eyes flash red for a brief moment. "Mind if I sit with you guys?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayyy, we finally updated!! ahshsjdvs 
> 
> i wonder who that new person was? lolololol *insert lenny face*
> 
> anyway, hope you guys liked this! we really love reading your comments, so tell us what you think, please? that would make our days vv much. love u lots. xxx  
> -Dani


	11. Someone's comin' to town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the arrival of someone familiar, Beacon Hills might get a whole lot more _fun_.
> 
> Also;  
> Protective_Boyfriend_Noot.exe: Activated. Dialed to max.

_"I don't know why I'm never invited to these kinds of things." A hand pressed on the back of Newt's chair, and a familiar scent made Newt's eyes flash red for a brief moment. "Mind if I sit with you guys?"_

 

All three of the Gladers' heads snapped around at the voice, and they're met with the smirking face of–

"Bloody hell."

" _Gally_!" Minho gasped out, tone a mixture of surprised elation and confusion.

Newt's the first one out of the booth, hugging Gally and finally understanding why he'd felt a slight surge of strength earlier. He thought it was just because Thomas had been acting all sweet and lovey-dovey, laying his head on Newt's shoulder or pressing their foreheads together. But it was actually because another one of his pack was near.

He gripped the wolf's shoulder after pulling away, still a bit shocked. Happy, but shocked. He didn't think Gally would follow them here.

Thomas and Minho followed his example, the brunet moving to stand beside Newt. Something in their bond or blood or  _whatever_  sang at the feeling of one more member together with them. 

"What are you doin' here?" Newt asked, grip tightening.

Gally smirked, glancing at all three. "What? Can't I come and visit my packmates?"

"That's not what Newt meant, and you know it," Thomas pointed out, frowning. He didn't hate Gally anymore, not like when Gally was so hostile to him back in the Glade. Gally could be a dick sometimes, but he was also family, and he'd helped save their lives before. That meant everything to Thomas.

Gally's eyes flickered to the brunet and crossed his arms. "Does me being here bother you, Thomas?"

The fox rolled his eyes. "You wish, idiot. Just answer the shucking question,  _shank_."

The packmates shared a light-hearted chuckle. 

(Lydia and Kira watched on silently, mystified.

It was like they were all in their own bubble all of a sudden, like the whole world didn't matter for the moment. It felt like they were watching a family getting to see each other after being separated for years. 

Kira looked down, content with just listening to her brother and his friends. It felt like she was intruding on something personal - and it was weird. They seemed more like family to Minho than she and their parents were. 

Lydia noted the way they all seemed relaxed and wary at the same time. As if ready to jump at anything that might attack them, ready to sacrifice themselves for each other. For a moment, she missed the way Stiles was that for her - but she shook that thought off. She's happy with what is now, and she's happy for Thomas and Newt.)

Gally sighed once the chuckles died down. He rubbed the back of his neck, meeting the curious eyes of his Alpha.

"My parents have three other kids, and two of them are autistic - on the higher end of the spectrum." He shrugged, trying to make it look like he didn't care a lot. Which would be a total lie. He loved Eli and Hannah, not to mention Lucas, they were such sweethearts and he'd miss them. "I thought I'd lessen the burden I'd put on them. I mean, I've adjusted enough to civilization to get a job and figure out what I wanna do. I'm at that age now, anyway. And my parents made sure I have access to money when I need it, and that I have a phone to keep in touch."

Newt wrapped an arm around Thomas's waist, tugging him closer as he asked: "How'd you know where we were, you shank?"

"You guys mentioned that you were going to Beacon Hills." Gally said before smirking, having seen the movement Newt had made. "Nice to see that you've finally,  _finally_  gotten the courage to confess - your pining was getting obnoxious."

"Right?" Minho snickered.

Thomas spluttered, cheeks flushing in embarrassment, and Newt rolled his eyes but smiled fondly at his Tommy. He ducked his head down and nipped at Thomas' ear, causing the other to squeak and cover his ears.

"I hate you guys." he muttered, hiding his face in Newt's shoulder. "You're all picking on me 'cause I'm the shortest, aren't you? Dickheads."

"Even me?" Newt teased, squeezing his boyfriend closer.

"Yes,  _especially_  you, you're the biggest dickhead—"

_ 'Wouldn't you know—' _

Thomas glared at the kitsune. " _Ew_ , Minho, don't even say that thought. I will punch you. Seriously."

Minho, Gally and Newt laughed.

It wasn't hard for outsiders like Lydia to figure out what Minho's joke was. And it was even less hard for her to figure out that the jealousy churning in the pit of her stomach wasn't because of Newt and Thomas being cute. It was because she wanted that kind of bond with people, and not for the first time (certainly not the last either), she found herself missing Allison.

She turned when she heard footsteps coming toward their direction. The Glader pack were still preoccupied with teasing and poking fun at each other.

"Who's the new mutt?" Malia asked as she approached.

Thomas stopped raising his hand (he'd been ready to hit Minho and then Gally), facing the girl. He saw Gally studying Malia from the corner of his eye, and immediately started talking to Minho in his mind, the two of them betting on whether Gally and Malia will like each other enough to become friends or not. He's on the 'friends' side, and he hopes he wins because if Minho wins, he's not allowed to kiss Newt for three days.

Gally raised an eyebrow. "Name's Gally, coyote."

Malia copied Gally's posture, eyeing him curiously as if examining to see if he was a threat. She seemed to like what she saw as she nodded and took her seat again. ( _'So far, I'm winning, Min Min~.'_ )

The pack of four turned back to the table to see an interested-looking Lydia and Kira.

"Right-" Thomas started, gesturing to Gally then the Banshee, Coyote and Kitsune. "Gally, this is Lydia, Malia and Kira. Lydia, Malia, Kira, this is Gally, a packmate of ours."

"Welcome to Beacon Hills, Gally. It's nice to meet another one of you guys." Lydia greeted, smiling sweetly. For  _her_ , it was nice. She just didn't know how her Alpha, Scott, would react to more Gladers. God forbid Derek ever find out, he'll probably get angrier at Newt.

Kira smiled as well, wiggling her fingers in greeting. "Nice to meet you too, I'm assuming you're the Gally who once saved my brother's life? Thanks for that."

Malia just gave a short jerky nod.

"Okay, firstly. No, it wasn't just me who saved him - it was a team effort. Seriously, you shanks need to stop giving me all the credit." Gally corrected, shoving Minho away when the kitsune made gagging noises.

"Don't be so humble, Gally. You saved us. That was awesome."

Gally rolled his eyes, but his pac-mates could feel the simmering happiness inside him. "Right, next. It's nice to see Newt, Minho and Thomas are settling in just fine." He said, and the girls knew that was the only type of greeting they'd be getting from him. He didn't look like one for long introductions; short and sweet seemed more his type. "Seems like Beacon Hills was perfect for you guys."

Thomas unintentionally let out a slight noise and Gally blinked, glancing to Thomas in confusion. Newt's grip tightened in a protective manner.

"What's that about?"

Thomas gave a quiet huff and nudged Minho back into the booth, so he could sit. Newt sighed before sitting down himself. "We had a bit of a problem with one of Tommy's former packmates."

Gally frowned, grabbing a spare chair from the set behind him and sat at the table. His eyes flickered over his three friends before moving to the girls with suspicion and subtle protectiveness shimmering in his green orbs. " _What_ problems?"

"A former Alpha seems to think Tom-boy belongs to him or something, and when Tom defended Newt against his insults, he didn't seem to take it too well." Minho explained. "He attacked Newt the other day for the two stepping into his territory- which technically belongs to the new Alpha since the slinthead lost his Alpha-ness."

"Alpha status, Min." Kira supplied helpfully.

"Yes, that."

Gally continued to frown. He already didn't like his dude, whoever he was.

"He's pretty jacked in the head." Thomas added lowly, blinking back a tired look. Newt wrapped his arm around Thomas' back and tugged him into his side again, laying his cheek against the brunet's hair.

Gally opened his mouth to speak but the arrival of the waitress with the group's food stopped him. He pursed his lips as she came back and forth three times with the meals.

"Would you like anything?" She asked, her hand resting on the back of Gally's chair.

"Just some coffee, if that's alright?" He asked, and she smiled.

"Of course, I'll be right back."

Thomas yawned and slumped into Newt's side further. Newt gently nudged him. "You gotta stay awake, Tommy. Have some food then head on home, yeah?"

Thomas blinked tiredly and nodded, plucking a fry from his plate and shoving it into his mouth. Minho copied his actions and shoved his own fry ( _fries_ technically since Minho shoved several in at once which got an eye roll from nearly everyone) before taking a bite from his cheeseburger. The conversation mostly died off as the group ate their dinner. Thomas seemingly nodding off more and more after every bite of food (Which Lydia found adorable, and so did Newt if his fond smile meant anything. His eyes were filled with so much adoration and love it felt like she wasn’t supposed to see it, felt like that look was just for Thomas to see, to keep in his mind and heart).

Once the food had been finished and the bill paid for, the group exited the building.

"Where you stayin’?" Newt asked Gally as he tucked his Tommy against his chest, Thomas grumbling softly under his breath, but no actual protest left his mouth. Instead, he nuzzled into the neck offered to him.

(Minho snickered at the scene from his spot next to Kira, muttering to her and Lydia about how much of an adorable shank Thomas was when tired. Lydia wholeheartedly agreed, amused. She half-wished they'd brought Scott as well, so he could see that Stiles and Thomas were really different, despite the slight similarities here and there. Also, so he could try and bridge the gap between them. Their friendship had been something Lydia admired a lot, they were brothers - and hopefully they acted the way soon.)

"I've got a room at a nearby motel until I can find an apartment and job." Gally answered, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. "It's not too bad of a place and I've got easy access to town if I need it."

"Oh." Thomas removed himself from Newt's neck to continue. "I'll let Scott know there's another wolf in town and that you're with us, yeah?"

"Thanks, Greenie." Gally nodded, ruffling his hair. Thomas whined, slapping his friend's hand away and burying himself back into Newt's neck; Newt's breath hitched as he felt Thomas' lips against his collarbone because -  _'_ _Damnit _Tommy, you can't do that in public.'__

Thomas snickered aloud.  _'Payback from when you moaned earlier.'_

 _'Oh, you are so getting it when we get home.'_  Newt promised, smirking when he heard his Tommy's heart skip a beat.

Minho groaned. "Flirt when none of us are with ya, you shanks."

Gally chuckled and Newt rolled his eyes.

**~§~**

_"Grahhhh! Just kill me!"_

_Thomas hit the ground as Newt tackled him, growls and inhuman sounds escaping his throat. Thomas shouted, hands shoving against Newt's in an attempt to roll them over, but despite how much strength he used, he just couldn't._

_Newt snapped down at him again - black ugly liquid dripping from his mouth, his veins dyed dark, and his eyes had lost any sort of hold on sanity._

_"Newt!" Thomas cried. "Please, no, please! D-don't do this, come back to me, please!"_

_"Tommy!"_

_Newt rolled them over, the infected cougar using the opening to wrap his hands 'round Thomas's neck._   _Thomas squealed, arms flailing in fear as he kicked and smacked against Newt to let go._

"Tommy! Come on!"

_Thomas cried, arms pressing against Newt's torso, fingers digging in as he fought._

_There was a sharp and piercing pain that felt like it split his brain in two but that couldn't be- Newt wasn't hitting him. The pain came back with a renewed vengeance, slicing through his foggy, terrified mind._

With a gasp, Thomas jolted, body tighter than a drawn bowstring. It took him a moment to register his surroundings. A moment to shake off the fear, the darkness, the pain and Newt looking like death.

He yelled, arms shoving against the body holding him tightly- too tightly- he couldn't- he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't- 

"Tommy! Sh, shshshshs." Newt whispered, hand running through Thomas' hair as he ducked the brunet's face into his neck. He'd long since learned that how normal people usually dealt with panic attacks (not touching them and staying a safe distance away - far enough to give them space, but close enough to give them comfort and reassurance) was not how he should deal with Thomas's.

He sent calming waves over their bond as he listened to his (poor, non-deserving of this) Tommy's quiet whimpers, inhaling Newt's scent deeply.

Newt winced when Thomas's fox claws momentarily dug into his sides before retracting. He didn't mind a little bit of pain if Thomas got to feel better. Besides, it's not like Thomas meant to hurt him.

"You're okay, Love." He said, feeling Thomas' arms slump. And because he suspected what that nightmare was about, he added: "I'm okay. I'm right here with you. I'm fine."

Newt listened to Thomas' heart as it beat a thousand miles an hour. He could almost feel it through his chest, threatening to burst out.

The cougar let out a heavy breath.

_And they’d had such a lovely evening too._

**~§~**

The knocking on the door prompted Thomas to stand and see who it was.

You know, with matching grumbling and dragging feet.

Pulling the wooden door open, Thomas was met with Scott's nervous smile, the boy just standing there, hands in his jean pockets.

"Oh- Hey Scott." Thomas greeted with a tired rub of his eyes.

He'd had trouble going back to sleep after last night, and Newt had been forced to use the bond to nudge him into sleep (which he was mad about, but he couldn't stay mad at Newt for long) after the two spent roughly four hours just laying there in the wake of his nightmare.

Why couldn't he be blessed with normal dreams? Why was he the one cursed to have nightmares?

Although, it was probably better that it was him rather than Minho. Or Teresa. Or Newt. God, even Gally.

"Hey." He said in return. "I was wondering if you'd like to get some lunch with me? I haven't had the chance to really spend much time with you since your return." Scott's smile got softer, and his shoulders lost a little bit of tension, but the awkward air was still definitely there. "Please?"

Thomas shifted, unsure about whether he'd feel comfortable being far from Newt for very long - but then again, he was going to have to get used to it at some point, right?

It's just... the idea of not being in close contact with anyone to feel that reassurance over the bond made him hesitate.

"I think it's a good idea." Newt murmured approvingly, appearing behind Thomas, who flinched in surprise.

"Huh?"

Newt smiled down at Thomas. "You should go. Familiarize yaself with Scott again- it'll be good, yeah?"

Thomas licked his lips, sparing a glance at the silent Scott before turning back to Newt. He murmured a quiet "okay."

 _'I'm not forcin’ you to go, love.'_  Newt clarified, just as a bright smile slipped on Scott's face.  _'You know what you want should always come first, right?'_

 _'I know. I love you.'_  Thomas didn't have to look to know that Newt was blushing, keeping his eyes trained solely on his old best friend. 

(Fuck, first time he says 'I love you' and it's completely shucking anticlimactic and unromantic and gOD, he should've just said 'I know' and sounded like a cool motherf–)

"Thanks Newt." Scott said gratefully. "And Thomas. Really."

(Granted, he knew Newt loved him and cared for him - he wasn't so stupid and oblivious as to not see it in the way he acted around Thomas, the things he'd say and do for him. And he's pretty sure Newt knows he feels absolutely the same way, and they don't really need words — but like, it's different actually saying it, right? Because then, it's out in the open how deeply you've fallen, how much you feel for them, how much you wish you could always have your own little world together.  _Thomas, why do you not think before saying something?_ )

When Newt replied, his voice was a bit strangled, which Thomas would seriously find funny if he didn't feel as strangled. "N-now, not that there's anythin’ buggin’ wrong with the way you're dressed, Tommy, but I don't think goin’ out in just trousers is a good idea."

Thomas flushed, his earlier predicament momentarily forgotten and stored away for when he could appropriately freak out, realising he was in stood there in just pyjama bottoms. He scrambled up the stairs with Newt chuckling.

"Shut up!" Thomas yelled over his shoulder which only made Newt laugh louder.

(It was odd, yet somehow familiar, to Scott as he watched the couple.

Stiles and Thomas were different but had the same underlying personality that made Scott think this all had to be some kind of practical joke.

But he knew, rationally, that it wasn't.

 _This was real -_  Stiles had been put through so much trauma that he was suffering from nightmares, as Noah had accidentally let slip when Scott visited him at the station the other day, and Newt seemed to be the only one to calm him. Noah told him that the bond allowed Newt to smother Stiles with waves of calm and reassurance to help soothe him.

It made Scott feel jealous, that Newt and Stiles had such a connection when he was the one who'd known Stiles all his life. And Newt wasn't the only one that he had that connection with too - there were Minho and the other 'Gladers'.)

Newt sighed with a fond smile before turning back to Scott. The patient expression faded, and his smile became thin-lipped. "Try not to force anythin’ on him, got it? Forced memories  _hurt -_ or worse, bring back bad ones instead."

Scott frowned, almost appalled that the Alpha cougar would think he'd do something like that, but-

Well. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't going to try and talk about their history, in hopes that it would bring something back- albeit good or bad.

Scott nodded, not trusting his guilty heart to give him away should he speak. 

"Good." Newt gave a sharp nod, glaring at Scott. "’Cause if I hear from my Tommy that you've harmed even one strand of his fuckin’ hair- consider this ya’r  _last_  meeting."

Scott blinked, opening his mouth to respond - why would he hurt Stiles? They're  _brothers_  - but Newt cut him off.

" _No._  Slim it and listen. I didn't care much when your  _friend_  hurt me. Thomas, though?" Newt's eyes flashed red, and Scott had to curl his hands into fists to stop himself from stepping back in shock. He did the same thing to feel like he wasn't being cowed into submission. "He's been through more than enough for twenty bloody lifetimes. I will  _not_  hesitate callin’ my whole shucking pack down and literally throwin’ you to the wolves. Don't even dare make him feel uncomfortable in  _any_  way." 

When Thomas came jogging down the stairs, Newt's whole being shifted to someone lighter and someone who always had a smile on his face.

The change almost gave Scott whiplash, but he hurried to hide his emotions as Thomas approached them, wearing a short-sleeved white t-shirt, a red and black flannel, black jeans and black and white converse.

Again, Scott was reminded of the old Stiles.

He watched as the couple shared a kiss, watched as Newt nipped at Stiles' lower lips and watched as the brunet  _yipped_  in response, cheeks flushing red. Newt's arm snaked around Thomas' waist, pulling him closer and whispering something in his ear.

("I love you, I love you, I love you. I thought we didn't need buggin’ words, but I don't want- I can't stop replaying those in your voice- I love you so much. I never want to stop saying it.")

Scott averted his eyes, coughing awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable and like he was intruding on something he shouldn't see. 

Newt eventually pulled away, a look in his eyes, his cheeks a light pink. Thomas was worse, his whole face a cute shade of red, and he was completely lovestruck, looking at Newt with bright eyes and a sweet smile. It was like Scott was forgotten for three whole minutes.

"I'll see ya later, Love." Newt hummed, pecking Thomas' cheek, which the fox returned as a lingering kiss on the lips. "Take care, okay?"

"You too." Thomas chirped, then trotted down the steps. He turned to Scott, and the wolf could still hear Thomas' heart beating erratically, but the brunet had already schooled his face to a neutral expression. "So, Scotty. What'd you have in mind?"


	12. And It All Goes Down The Drain. Damnit Scott.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott and Thomas go into town for lunch.
> 
> Scott meets Gally.
> 
> It's not how Thomas wanted the Alpha wolf to meet the older wolf but not that that matters anymore.
> 
> oh and Gally has some words for Scott- "Trust me, _kid_ , I've been a wolf my entire life- I know more about this than you."

_"I'll see ya later, love." Newt hummed, pecking Thomas' cheek, which the fox returned as a kiss on the lips. "Take care, okay?"_

_"You too." Thomas chirped, then trotted down the steps. He turned to Scott, and the wolf could still hear Thomas' heart beating erratically, but the brunet had already schooled his face to a neutral expression. "So, Scotty. What'd you have in mind?"_

 

He didn't mention the nickname, and in turn - Thomas didn't mention the skip in his heartbeat.

Neither mentioned that it was something in their shared past.

"I was thinking something small? Maybe a cafe or bakery?" Scott offered as they walked down the sidewalk. "They'll be quiet this time of day ‘cause lunch was technically over an hour ago. But you can choose which one, I'm fine with either."

Stiles-  _Thomas_  hummed (Scott had to keep reminding himself to call Stiles by that name- it was a habit, a hard one to break considering Stiles had been his name since even before pre-school when they'd first met), tilting his head in thought. "A cafe? Honesty I'm not too bothered about that sort of klunk."

Scott frowned, unfamiliar with the term (at least a term they'd not used around him a lot, they had quite a few different ones) but the context he used it in seemed to be the equivalent to 'crap', so that's what he's gonna assume it meant- Scott certainly wasn't going to ask, he felt too awkward too.

"Alright, a cafe it is. There's a little one on a corner of a street corner that we both used to love to visit... is it alright if we go there?" Scott asked hesitantly, Newt's words bouncing back to the forefront of his mind.

 _"Try not to force anythin’ on him, got it? Forced memories_   _hurt -_   _or worse, bring back bad ones instead." ..._    _"’Cause if I hear from my Tommy that you've harmed even one strand of his fuckin’ hair- consider this ya’r_ last _meeting."_

So naturally, Scott was a little nervous about what he might say that could trigger something. Coincidently, Claudia, Stil-  _Thomas'_ mother, had often taken the two of them here when they were younger, and she was still... alive. He just hopes the cafe won't trigger anything even on accident because while Thomas might not tell him that it did, his amnesic long-time friend would (Scott knew this without doubt) tell the other Alpha and Scott dreaded that outcome because the Alpha wolf knew that Newt would follow through with his threat.

"Sure!" Thomas smiled, oblivious to the internal struggle the wolf was going through.

Scott returned the smile and started leading them towards the cafe called 'Krillfish Kafe'.

Scott, however, did notice that way Thomas' eyes would flicker about, eyeing the nearby people; occasionally licking his lips in a nervous tic. Scott pursed his lips, was Thomas uncomfortable in large open spaces with lots of people? Or maybe was it just his fight or flight response that made him wary of his surrounds almost twenty-four seven? Either way, Scott made a note to keep his eye on the area and how crowded it way.

"Do you know when you're gonna be starting school?" Scott asked, trying to draw St- _Thomas's_  attention back to him and keep it, so to possibly ease his nerves.

"We should hear back from Ms Morrell on Monday, then possibly start Tuesday? I'm not sure." Thomas shrugged. "But soon- that's all I really know for sure."

Scott sighed, partly amused by his nonchalant answer. A typical Stiles response.

Stiles had always been the brainy, smarter one between the two of them, and he didn't doubt for even a second that Thomas has that intelligence and maybe more.

It wasn't hard to imagine that he'd be able to get into Scott's and Lydia's classes. And  _god_ , he couldn't help but hope that it was only Thomas who got in his classes.

They turn the corner and enter a rather busy section of town, from the corner of Scott's eyes he sees Thomas falter the tiniest bit, a gesture that would've been missed if he hadn't been looking for it. It made Scott nervous, but he doesn't say or do anything because Thomas doesn't.

It's only moments after starting down that street that it sets Thomas off -

( _Too many, too close, too- the people are too close, what if they're with WCKD, did they come for me? They need the cure, for who? For someone. I don't- I don't want to go back, it hurts it hurts it hurts, I don't want to get hurt, I have to protect my pack, please don't take me back there, no—_ )

His breath hitches and he almost curls in on himself; Scott can smell the panic and fear tinting his scent and Thomas' wide eyes are scanning the crowd as if searching for something, for someone, his jaw clenched and looking ready to attack at any moment.

He looked borderline feral.

Scott thinks on his feet, grabs Thomas' arm and tugs him into an alleyway- away from the crowd and unwanted eyes. The fox fights against his hold, trying to tug his arm back; but once away from prying eyes, Scott lets him go, watching as Thomas stumbles backwards into the wall.

"Thomas-" Scott starts but closed his mouth as the shorter brunet grabbed at his hair, breathing uneven as he shook.

Okay,  _now_  Scott was panicking.

Thomas slid down, curling up on the floor, his hands still tightly gripping his hair and pulling. Scott watched as the fox's chest heaved in and out, body continuing to tremble.

Scott crouched, inching forwards. "Thomas." He tried again, but all he gets is Thomas curling impossibly further in on himself

He shakes his head- "Can't, can't, can't. Too many-  _too many_!"

"Thomas!" Scott repeated, using a firmer tone this time. It works, but Thomas stares at him with wide eyes filled with fear- fear of  _him_.

It makes Scott's heart sink at the look.

Newt hadn't been lying.

The look belonged to someone mentally scarred, someone that suffered daily.

"Count my fingers, Thomas." Scott continued (trying to ignore the fearful look), holding up both hands and held a single finger up-

"O-one, two, th-three, four, fi-ive, s-six, seven-seven, ei-eight, nine, t-ten." Thomas counted,  _shakily_ but it  _worked._  Having Thomas count his fingers switched his focus from trying to breathe and his fear of the crowd to something else, giving his body a chance to subconsciously start breathing normally again. Thomas covered his face with his hands and his shoulder twitch and Scott knew what the gesture meant.

Thomas was crying; and when he raised his head, a hand (a hand that shook) moved to cover his mouth as the tears slipped down his cheeks. His other hands rested on his knee, tightly clenching it as Scott can see the beginning of his claws poking out.

Scoff shifted, planning to move forwards but a voice stops him. A voice with barely concealed anger and confusion.

"Tom?"

Thomas flinched, both brunets turning to the mouth off the alley to see a guy (about twenty, he'd guess, and Scott doesn't know him, but he knows he's a wolf) who was he and how did he know  _Thomas?_

"Gally." Thomas breathes and the guy, Gally, moves forward. His eyes flicker to Scott but he seems to write him off—

which Scott finds incredibly rude considering this guy was on his territory—

Gally knelt beside Scott, resting a hand on Thomas's own that clutched his knee tightly. 

Thomas shook his head, and Scott guessed this Gally guy was part of the 'Glader' pack (as Lydia called it), and that they'd used that telepathy thing. "I can't- I can't Gally." Thomas sobbed. "I can't do it."

Scott watched, shocked and in awe (and jealousy) as Thomas practically  _crawled_  into Gally's arms. The older wolf appeared to not have a single problem with it - instead, he held him close, and a low rumble escaped his chest. A soothing sound to calm his packmate.

Scott watched as Gally softly nuzzled the tip of his nose against Thomas’ head, scent marking him.

(Scott was familiar with it. Normally, a romantic scent marking was either on the neck or jaw, with platonic being on the jaw or forehead. You can typically smell whether the scent mark is meant to be romantic or platonic too. But most importantly, scent marking can help a were-creature focus and calm them.)

It was working too, Scott could tell, because Thomas’ vocal crying became near non-existent, his old friend burying his face into Gally’s shoulder, probably breathing in the scent of his packmate and the protection he offered as a fellow member and respected friend.

Gally sighed and closed his eyes— and then Thomas was suddenly ... asleep?

Scott growled under his breath when Thomas slumped against Gally. What did the guy do? Was Thomas okay? 

The older wolf turned his eyes onto Scott, asking with gritted teeth. "Wanna tell me what sent my packmate into a panic attack?"

Scott felt guilt surge in his chest like a tsunami threatening to swallow him, but he hardened his voice as well. "I'm not sure. He got like that, because of the crowded street? I think, I–"

"And you don't pay enough attention to any warning signs?" Gally interrupted, his scent spiking with rage.

Scott flinched but flashed his eyes. The Beta (an unfamiliar Beta) was disrespecting him and his inner wolf didn't take too kindly to it.

"Oh, stop flashing your shucking eyes like a broken traffic light." Gally glared, momentarily channelling Thomas and using the phrase he’d often playfully jeer at Gally when he flared his own wolf eyes. "I'm more concerned with my packmate, and the fact that it's obvious that his mental state isn't the best, and the fact that the very moment he showed signs of discomfort you didn't act. I've half a mind to tell Newt- I can promise he's extremely creative in punishments when it comes to it."

Scott flinched again, the last part really getting to him.

Gally smiled mockingly, an almost cruel one. "Oh? It seems Newt's already given you a little chat."

"He didn't show any signs, Gally- I don't know Thomas as well as you do but even while he was Stiles, he was a hell of a good hider when it came to this stuff." Scott snarled back, but Scott knew that wasn’t true- he’d just ignored them.

"No wonder you can't control the packmate that attacked my Alpha. You hardly know anything when it comes to sensing klunk- let alone know how to keep your pack in control- it's obvious when Thomas is gonna have a  _fucking_  panic attack." Gally said in a scathing tone. "Even when he was  _human_."

Scott growled.

"Trust me,  _kid_." Gally continued with the scathing tone. "I've been a wolf my entire life- I know more about this than you. I'm probably more in tune with my wolf than your entire pack altogether."

Scott's lips twitched into a snarl but before he could comment, Gally's speaking again. God. This Beta was so disrespectful - Scott made a mistake, but this was just-

"Look- my first and foremost concern is Thomas, it will  _always_  be Thomas because he's my packmate and your lack of knowledge is the  _least_  of my concerns. I need to get Thomas back to Newt- I can feel the shucking blond's fear, anger and need to hunt his Tommy down from  _here_. Help me put Thomas on my back and lead me to their house, got it?"

Scott gave a jerky nod, annoyed and frustrated that the Beta was ordering him,  _an Alpha,_ aroundbut didn't say anything.

With ease, Gally had Thomas on his back and the duo started backtracking towards the Stilinski household.

**~§~**

It had barely been a minute, after Gally laid Thomas on the settee and Newt inspected his boyfriend, before he turned an enraged expression onto Scott. His shoulders were tense, and he looked the angriest that Scott had ever seen him.

It told him a lot how Newt didn't look that angry when Derek insulted him, didn't smell that pained and enraged when Derek attacked him - but now that Thomas was unconscious because of a panic attack, he looked ready to tear someone's throat out with his teeth.

Newt stormed towards Scott, roaring. "What the fuck did you do to him?"

Newt slammed Scott into the wall by his shirt collar and all Scott could do was widen his eyes.

"Newt!" Gally snapped. Newt's red eyes shot to the older wolf. "It's not a hundred percent his fault."

Newt snarled, looking scarily feral before he reluctantly backed away, but not before shoving Scott into the wall again, still furious. The wolf grunted.

Gally let out a breath in relief. The Greenies in the Maze back then thought  _he_  was scary? They obviously hadn't seen  _Newt_  lose control before.

There’s a knocking on the door, and Gally quickly crossed the room to tug it open, already knowing who it was, to revealing a wide-eyed Minho.

"Where's Thomas? What happened?"

"He's fine." Gally answered and allowed the Kitsune entrance.

Minho immediately shuffled into the lounge, setting his eyes on Thomas and sighing in relief.

"I could feel it all the way from  _my_  house." Minho turned his eyes onto Scott with a look that Scott knew meant the Kitsune blamed him. They were all probably talking in their minds. Minho's eyes moved to a now less feral-looking Newt, who had taken a seat next to the sleeping Thomas.

"He had a panic attack." Gally told him briefly, then turned back to Newt. "Too many people."

Minho didn't say anything, but his scent said it all as he moved to crouch beside the Alpha cougar and unconscious fox.

Newt turned his brown orbs onto Scott. "I think it's best you leave.  _Now_."

He wasn't even subtle about it - how much he hated everything about Scott right now - but Scott went silently, not wanting to get even further on the feline's bad side.

"You're gonna have to tell his dad about this." Gally stated once the front door had closed. Newt and Minho's gazes turned to him. "Tom ain't gonna be able to have you around him twenty-four seven to help calm him in certain situations- I mean, what's gonna happen when you guys start school? You'll have, more than likely, several different classes which means you aren't gonna be seeing each other."

Newt sighed heavily, rubbing a hand across his face. "What could they do then?"

"Other than slowly help him with situations that make him panic? Maybe give him a service dog to act as a companion." Gally offers.

"A service dog? We could pay you, Gally." Minho jeered.

The wolf snorted and rolled his eyes ("very funny, idiot"), then explained further. "A service dog is a specifically trained dog to help people with certain disabilities, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder being one of them. It would basically act as a support system that Tom could rely on- and no one can decline the animal entrance even when other normal pets wouldn't be allowed. The best part is, I believe the cost and process would fall under the rehabilitation system the government gave us all."

Newt nodded, sighing. "Are they guaranteed to work?"

Gally nodded. "It might be slow, but from my research, almost all the people that have service dogs are greatly helped by their company."

Thomas stirred, drawing their attention back to the brunet.

"Tommy?" Newt asked, quietly running his fingers through Thomas' hair.

Brown eyes blinked open, meeting at his boyfriend's worried gaze. Thomas rubbed them as he sat up, frowning in confusion. "When'd I get home?"

The three sighed in unison. 

"What?"

Minho and Gally snorted while Newt shook his head.

Worrisome and adorable. Only Thomas.

"You had a panic attack, Tommy."

Thomas frowned again, sliding his legs over the edge to sit up probably. He rubbed his eyes again as the frown dispersed into remembrance. "Oh."

Newt ducked his head to meet Thomas's eyes. "You okay?"

Thomas nodded silently but shuffled into Newt's lap to curl into his warmth. Newt had no problem with this, wrapping his arms around his Tommy's waist, nosing his cheek. "If you're still tired go back to sleep, yeah?"

Thomas hummed in response and dropped right back into sleep.

"Nightmares still?" Gally asked and Newt nodded. "Thought so."

**~§~**

Scott stared at his desk, where pictures of his old pack - of Lydia and Stiles and...  _Allison -_ were pasted. He missed them. He was happy with Liam and Kira and Malia and everyone new, but his best friend and his first love just couldn't be replaced. 

Would never be replaced, even if he tried for the rest of his life. 

Allison couldn't be brought back, but Stiles could. 

Problem is, he might've just ruined whatever chance he had.

...But he wouldn't be Scott if he just gave up just like that, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly Scott don't be like Thomas  
> he doesn't listen to Newt sometimes and it almost always ends up badly ;p


	13. Important Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> relationships aren't all just rainbows and marshmallows. sometimes there are dark clouds - and sometimes, there are wounded hands. oh, did i say hands? sorry, i meant hearts.
> 
> Thomas & Newt speak to Noah about Thomas's panic attacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a smut one-shot that is set after this chapter, it will be in the Memoires 'verse collection ;)
> 
> Hope you like it.
> 
> -Void

Thomas moaned softly as he blinked his eyes open, groggy and a little unfocused. He'd been awakened by the quiet chatter that drifted in from the kitchen - for once, he felt at ease waking up, instead of scanning the room for danger or crying out for his boyfriend.

The lights were dimmed, which made the room seem all that much darker, and a quick glance towards the soft voices revealed that it was Gally and his father sitting at the table.

Thomas lifted his head from Newt's stomach and reached over to gently move Minho's head since he was using Thomas' leg as a pillow. Once free, he climbed to his feet and shuffled towards the kitchen with a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Nice nap, Tom?" Gally smirked at the fox over the top of his mug.

Thomas rolled his eyes and dropped into a chair, resting his arms on the table then laying his head on them. He wasn't tired, just really  _relaxed_. "The nicest." he said, half sarcastic and half not —  _sarcastic_ , mainly because he liked having a bit of banter with Gally. But in all seriousness, he was glad he got some much-needed rest after that draining panic attack. 

"Tea?" Noah asked, reaching over and ruffling Thomas' hair. It was sweet, and  _even more calming_. He'd let him purr if it wasn't so embarrassing.

Thomas smiled sleepily, nodding. He did feel a little chilly, so warm tea would definitely help. "Please."

Noah stood up and pulled a cupboard open to fetch a mug, before going to the fridge and adding milk. He returned to the table, where Gally then poured the tea from the teapot and placed the mug in front of Thomas.

He stared at the black mug, breathing in the aroma and sighing in content at the tranquillity of the moment. The only things missing right now that would make this scene even more perfect were Minho's jokes... and Newt's arms wrapped around him, making him feel safe and comforted and  _so_ loved. 

Everything he went through almost seemed worth it if it meant he got to have this after all that suffering.

 _Almost_.

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the tea and each other's company, before Thomas frowned and glanced at his dad.

"When'd you get home? We slept, what, probably an hour or two?" He asked, sitting upright and wrapping his fingers around the mug. Its warmth bled into Thomas' skin, and his frown melted into another smile as he raised the mug to his lips and took a sip.

Gally snickered into his cup and Noah chuckled along with him. "Been here since half an hour ago. It's already a quarter to seven, kiddo. Gally said you've all been napping for about five hours."

"Ohh." Thomas said, blinking owlishly. Five hours. He couldn't wait to see how Newt would react to that, especially seeing how he's sleeping longer than Thomas was. Well, longer than Thomas - you know, if one was not including the small amount of time Thomas was asleep after Gally nudged him to through their pack bond. And that one was  _definitely not_ included. 

"I'm also going to assume that none of you boys have eaten?" Noah inquired, and was met with a pair of shaking heads. He smiled at the synchronization. "I'll order in some food too- does Minho's mom know he's here?"

"Uhh." Thomas trailed off, shrugging. He fell asleep in Gally's arms, woke up for a bit in Newt's arms, fell back asleep, and finally, woke up with his legs being used as Minho's pillow. "Not sure? I don't even know  _when_  he arrived."

"Not too long after  _Scott_  and I brought you back." Gally informed, his voice barely hiding his dislike for the Alpha wolf. ( _Ah_ , Thomas 'fondly' recalls all those times when Gally said his name or 'Greenie' in that tone. He does _not_ miss that hostility.)

Noah frowned, a look of confusion forming -  _what was he talking about? Why did it sound like he didn't have much love for Scott- that nice, sweet kid who treats Stiles as a brother?_

"A-anyway-" Thomas cut in, seeing his father's expression and desperate to change the subject. "You had any luck in the job department yet?"

Gally sighed, emptying his mug in one gulp and placing it back on the table. Thomas was comically reminded of those guys in pubs who drank their beer like that, downing it and slamming the containers back down. That image kind of fitted Gally. "No, I haven't got the classification required for certain jobs, which is a load of klunk– what do random school grades have anything to do with your ability to work a shop counter?"

Thomas snorted in amusement, rolling his eyes.  _'Don't even remind me.'_  He said as Gally playfully glared at him.  _'We get our test results back tomorrow, and I'm not ready for it or the implications.'_

_ 'Relax, Greenbean. You, of all people I know, are the smartest.' _

_ 'Thanks, Gal–' _

_ 'Third in ranking, in fact. Then you have me and Newt tying for second, and don't tell her I said this, but Teresa's in  _ _ first _place.'_ _

_'You say I'm the smartest, then you put Newt and Teresa ahead of me._ ' Thomas pouted childishly against the rim of his mug, ignoring Gally's impish grin.  _'I hate you.'_

_ 'I also put myself  _ _ ahead _you.'_ _

_ 'Oh- yeah, har har, I noticed. Great joke, bud!' _

"You're looking for a job? Any specific type?" Noah asked, unknowingly cutting off their silent conversation, and Gally shook his head.

"Not at the moment. I just wanna get some sort of job so I don't have to rely on my parent's money twenty-four seven." Gally answered.

"We currently have an open desk job down at the station?" Noah suggested. "I can get you a place as a trainee to teach you what you need to know so I  _can_  hire you fulltime."

Gally's brows shot upwards. "You'd do that?"

Noah shrugged. "Of course, you look hard-working, and from what Thomas had said, I think you'll be able to adjust quickly. If you don't like it, I can help find another one."

Gally smiled, a little disbelieving and a little surprised – but in the good way. Nobody, outside his blood-related family and his pack, has ever been this kind to him without wanting anything in return. "Thanks, it means a lot."

"Don't mention it, kid." 

A loud groan came from behind them, and all three turned to see Newt sit up with messy bedhead.

Thomas burst into laughter, quickly slapping a hand over his mouth to mute it. God, his boyfriend was fucking adorable and sexy and hot, and Thomas felt his chest warm again. It had nothing to do with the tea this time and had everything to do with how Newt patted at his side and looked down as if expecting Thomas to be curled around him. He was so proud to have Newt in his life; so lucky to be able to call that boy 'his', to be able to hold him in his arms whenever he wanted.  _So lucky_  to have his love for as long as Thomas lived, because he foolishly thought there were no, and would never be any, factors that would end with them breaking up... or worse. "Rise and shine, wild boy with the wild hair."

Newt's head snapped to Thomas and he smiled slowly, fond and loving, wiping at his eyes. Gally snickered, but it felt like white noise to Thomas. All he could see was Newt's lips curving into that beautiful shucking smile that he only ever seemed to reserve for his  _Tommy_ , and Thomas couldn't help but wish that they were alone, so he could kiss Newt and hug him and just be with him. _'Newt, I love you.'_  He sent over; and he knew the other had heard it when a lovely, surprised laugh bubbled from his mouth.

_ 'Love you too, babes. I like wakin’ up to ya sayin’ that, Tommy.' _

Thomas flushed pleasantly, fighting back a smile as Gally continued to poke fun at Newt. "Nice bedhead you have there, shank."

Newt just shot him a look of still-slightly-sleepy confusion, running a hand through his extremely messy hair. The blond got up to his feet and stumbled over to them, yawning. "W’time is it?"

"Ten to seven." Noah answered, smiling fondly at the interaction between the three.

"Bloody hell, we did it ahgain." Newt grumbled - and Thomas snorted with laughter.  _There it was_. Like he'd predicted.

"Did what again?" Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Tommy and me were tryin' to set a new internal clock, and nappin’ randomly durin’ the bloody day don’t help." Newt groaned, slumping into the remaining table chair beside Thomas. 

"Well, you'll get another chance."

Newt reached over and grabbed Thomas' mug, taking a few sips before putting it back down. He didn't say anything, and his face certainly didn't show it, but Thomas remembered Newt saying how much he didn't like milk in his tea the first time they made breakfast together.

_ 'That's what you get for stealing my mug, Newt. Now suffer.' _

_ 'You're right, it's my fault, take your mug back, I plead guilty, I raise the white flag of surrender.' _

_'Perish, darling.'_  He let out a laugh when Newt slid the mug back to Thomas' hands, their fingers lacing for a brief second. Then, because he felt guilty for not warning Newt about the milk and how lukewarm the tea was now -  _'Do you want me to make you your own cup?'_

_ 'No, but thank you, Tommy. I love you.' _

_'I know.'_  Thomas scooted closer to his boyfriend until their thighs were touching.

_ 'I really, truly, honestly, bloody do.' _

(Newt knew Gally couldn't hear them, but that didn't mean he couldn't guess what they were talking about that made Thomas redden like this; and god, hopefully it wasn't anything dirty. He'd have to stab Gally for even thinking it.)

Gally shot the couple a teasing look, but otherwise remained silent - which Thomas was thankful for. 

"Anyway. Is Chinese alright with you guys?" Noah asked as he stood.

He got positive responses in return and left the room to order.

The three awake Gladers glanced over their shoulder to peer at Minho.

"Who wants to wake him?" Thomas asked.

"I say we all jump on him." Gally answered and the three smirked deviously as they scrambled from their chairs and ran at Minho, about to jump on him—

only to have them be the ones getting surprised when Minho easily rolled over and avoided their attack. He looked momentarily scared and ready to fight, but that expression evaporated when Thomas tackled him, sending soothing and apologetic vibes over the bond.

"What the fuck." Minho groaned, but he was grinning, his body relaxing as the rest of his friends got pulled into their little pile. "You guys are shucking annoying, I didn't know you all hated me like that, it's okay, I'll leave Beacon Hills and move to another country, and–"

Newt laughed, shaking his head. "Never change, Min."

**~§~**

_'You know you're gonna have to be the one to mention the panic attacks to Noah, right?'_  Gally questioned as he, Minho, and Newt, all stood at the front door, the blond having gotten up to see them off.

(Behind them, they could see Thomas quietly chatting to his father as they cleaned up after their takeaway.)

 _'I know.'_  Newt frowned, running a hand through his hair.

 _'It's probably gonna annoy Tomboy too.'_  Minho added.

All three shared a sigh.

 _'He's gotta learn that sometimes help is needed to get_ _better, _and that that help's not always gonna be us.'__  Gally said, always the one to say the whole truth, no matter how painful it is for some.

"Anyway, we'll see you later." Gally continued verbally, patting Newt's shoulder before shouting. "See ya Greenie, Mr. Stilinski!"

"Bye Gally!"

"Call me Noah already, Gally." Said man answered and Gally chuckled.

"We'll see about it."

Minho followed Gally out after his own partings: "Thanks for having me again, Noah!"

Noah chuckled, waving off Minho.

Newt closed the door and returned to the kitchen just in time to see Thomas yawn.

"Noah." Newt started, waiting for the man to give him his full attention. Then he glanced at Thomas before looking back to the older man. "I think we need to have a talk."

"Talk about what?"

"About Thomas."

Thomas paused his actions of rubbing his eyes, standing frozen in realization.

 _'Newt, please._ ' He felt the slight panic from his boyfriend, but ignored it, because this was necessary.  _'No, don't tell him, Newt, I don't want him to–'_

"He had another panic attack. It was cause of a crowded place this time." Newt continued. He understood Thomas not wanting Noah to worry, but they _had_ to have this conversation. He wanted Thomas to always be okay wherever he was, whether he had the Gladers with him or not.

"My son had another panic attack." Noah repeated. 

"Yes, he did."

Thomas gave a frustrated sigh, glaring at Newt. "I'm okay, I was just-"

(His father ignored him - which was fair, he'd admit, since Thomas  _had_  been trying to avoid telling Noah about what happened when he went out - but it was  _still_  rude.)

"And Scott was the one who caused it?" Noah questioned.

"He wasn't directly-"

"Yes." Newt said, cutting Thomas off. "he was."

" _Newt_!" 

"Figures why Gally would hate Scott." Noah mused, frowning in contemplation.

Newt eyed his boyfriend warily, feeling the spike of irritation he'd shot through their bond. He hoped his boyfriend didn't start shifting now.  _'Tommy.'_

Thomas angrily hissed at Newt, before rounding on his father. "Scott didn't cause it!"

Noah sighed, wanting to avoid an argument with his son and an argument between the couple. He could feel the tension and it was a major contrast from the sweetness they were showing just earlier. "Whether he caused it or not - let's worry about that later. First orders of business are your attacks. We should take you to see a psychologist."

Newt nodded hesitantly for two reasons. One: He didn't want to fight Thomas, but they'd inevitably be having _that_ talk later anyway. Two: He had been thinking of talking to Minho about getting themselves therapists too, because as much as they liked to pretend they were okay, they had issues as well. Not as bad a second Thomas', sure, but bad.

"Gally mentioned somethin’ ‘bout a service dog? That it could help him handle the panic attacks?"

"Please stop talking about me like I'm not here." Thomas bit out, teeth clenched.

Newt shot him an empathetic look, raising a hand – maybe to intertwine their fingers, maybe to squeeze Thomas' shoulder – but he doesn't know if his touch is welcomed right now, so he let his hand fall back to his side. "Sorry, Tommy."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do about the service dog idea." Noah commented, nodding. Truthfully, the idea of getting his son one was a good idea and he mentally thanked Gally for thinking of it. "I believe it would be under the emotional support, if I'm recalling correctly. I'll do some research into it as soon as I can, but I gotta get back to the station. It's not likely I'll be back tonight, so make sure you lock up before heading to bed, okay?"

Newt nodded. "Gotcha." 

Noah grabbed his bag and squeezed Thomas' shoulder as he passed.

A silent reassurance. Something Newt was too cowardly to do.

They stood still as they listened to Noah open the door and close it again.

The closing of the door seemed to snap a cord in Thomas as he spun around and moved up the stairs hastily, barely glancing in Newt's direction.

Newt watched him go with a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair as he debated on whether he should follow or leave his boyfriend by himself for the time being. 

Thomas might need some space and time to think things through.

... But then again, Thomas was known to overthink sometimes, and Newt really didn't want this to escalate. Didn't want Thomas to beat himself up or anything like that.

So Newt settled on the former and jogged up the stairs after Thomas.

He pushed their bedroom door open, stepping inside to see Thomas sat on the edge of the bed, his brows furrowed as he tried to stop himself from looking noticeably angry and annoyed at Newt.

"Love..." Newt tried to start, but Thomas glared at him. He could feel the brunet's emotions and knew that Thomas was more hurt than anything - and that pained him, knowing that his boyfriend felt hurt because of him.

" _Please_  don't ' _love_ ' me." Thomas said, mocking Newt's accent (adorably, but he couldn't say that). "I didn't want to tell my dad, Newt. I mean, fine, okay, whatever - I get why you had to, but did you have to make it seem like Scott was in the wrong here? Like he did a bad thing?"

Newt sighed, trying to collect his thoughts and not let his boyfriend's anger get to him. "He took ya to a place you were uncomfortable at enough for me to feel it from  _here_ , Thomas."

The brunet scoffed, standing up and crossing his arms, fully facing Newt. "He asked me before we went, and  _I_  agreed to go there! I didn't even  _tell_ him when I was starting to feel woozy, it's  _my_  fault!"

"Well, he should’ahve noticed it, what kind of friend is he?" Newt was starting to feel a little defensive - he was just worrying about Thomas, who was his best friend before he was a part of the pack, before he was his boyfriend. And Thomas was making him feel like he was overreacting by blaming Scott.

"The kind who hasn't seen me for so long? The kind who had a best friend he's practically lost because we all know I'm not the same person anymore." Thomas remarked, his brows scrunched up in annoyance. He dug his nails into his palms. "Scott's not at fault, Newt, please just stop being so... feral."

Newt snarled - not at Thomas, just… just at the wall, at himself for not knowing what to do right now, eyes flaring red. "Why are you even defendin’ em?"

Thomas looked like he wanted to scream for a split second, before he sighed in frustration, shoulders tense. "I'm not, I just– why are you so hostile with him for no reason? Newt, you're starting to act a lot like-"

" _No reason_?" Newt scoffed. "Tommy, you were so panicked you couldn't breathe and—"

"I love you, so much, and I love your concern for me- but  _that's_  why you're angry at Scott?" Thomas' nails started to get sharper, and he curled his hands into fists even tighter to hide it from Newt, but also because he just felt so angry that he needed an outlet. "Well,  _news flash_ , Newt, I get an attack when I get an attack and it has no shucking connection to who I'm with. I had a panic attack when I was with  _you_ , so you're mad at yourself?! I had a panic attack when I was alone - does that mean you hate  _me_  now?"

Thomas sighed heavily, voice cracking with Newt's heart at the pain in his voice when he said, 'you hate me now'. "The problem isn't my surroundings. It's me.  _I'm_  the problem, I have nightmares and I panic for no reason and I'm so messed up and-"

Newt's eyes softened as he moved forward, his fingers wrapping around the brunet's wrists to lift them and slid his fingers under Thomas's. He'd finally noticed when blood started dripping from Thomas' clenched fists, red seeping through white knuckles. "No, no, love, it's not you. M’sorry.  _Hey_ , look at me."

Thomas raised his head timidly and met Newt's red eyes from under his bangs. His eyes flared golden orange in return.

Newt sighed, resting his forehead against Thomas'.

"I'm sorry, Love, but you need help, okay?" He started softly. "I am not always gonna to be around, no matter how much I want to, no matter how hard I try to be. Minho, Gally or Noah aren't gonna to be with you twenty-four seven either, okay? You need to learn to be able to travel and go off on your own, Tommy. You understand?"

Thomas nodded and slumped against Newt, who wrapped his arms around his Tommy's waist to secure him there. Sending soothing and calming waves over their bond, Newt let Thomas' arms slide up and wrap around his shoulders, smiling when he felt his lover taking slow, deep breaths.

"And please try not to hurt yourself again."

"I'm sorry." Thomas said quietly, and Newt gently hummed against his throat, tightening his grip on the brunet.

"You're okay. We're okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, is it confusing- reading about the boys talking in their minds and suddenly talking out loud? please send feedback, 'cause i'm not sure. it might be, for some? do you think we should change how it's written so it's more distinguished or is this okay the way it is? -dani
> 
> Guys Dani keeps abusing me -Cy


	14. Where the fuck are we

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little explanation, not a chapter

Hey guys, been a minute, hasn't it? Well, we have the next chapter within the drafts. I'd like to apologize on behalf of us nerds, our lives got in the way. I'm a freshman in high school so as you can guess tedious work. We are trying, keep your eyes out for the next chapter! We'll delete this chapter when we post again  
-Cyrus (Kathendale)

 

Join the discord server!

 

https://discord.gg/rjP3Py2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um holy shit lol, it’s really been so long :(((  
> i would like to apologize to void, first of all, bc i keep putting off writing the chapter and i know it can’t be easy dealing with me, a professional procrastinator. i’m really sorry, and thank you for your continuous patience with me, my friend, i love u <3  
> second of all, you readers still sticking with this, both new (thank you for reading up to this part c: ) and old (thank you for understanding our situations xx ), you are all gold and i lov you all.  
> thirdly, Cy, u adorable freshman baby you, lurv yu,,  
> — dani


	18. JOIN THE DISCORD!

Writer Cy here, sorry about everything. We still exist, (I think?) 

Join the discord server!

https://discord.gg/yprss9

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [avante les procès](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14963390) by [xyzhnielle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xyzhnielle/pseuds/xyzhnielle)
  * [La vie de Newt avant tout](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14960582) by [Kathendale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kathendale/pseuds/Kathendale)




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